A Twist Of Fate
by Rocks-my-socks
Summary: What would have happened if Mary Crawley had gone ahead and married her cousin Patrick and Cousin Matthew had come to Downton Abbey by a very different road?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Downton Abbey is not mine and this fiction is just written for a bit of fun.

Authors Note: Hi all – it has been a while since I have written a purely Downton WIP and I am really looking forward to diving head first back into this fandom! (More than any other, this fic feels like one I wrote called _Warring Hearts_ and I really enjoyed writing that so I am rather excited to be writing this one!) I have had a great time having a rewatch earlier this year and now it is time for me to get posting with _A Twist of Fate_. The main premise of this fiction questions what would have happened if Mary Crawley had gone ahead and married her cousin Patrick and Cousin Matthew had come to Downton Abbey by a very different road… I am not give too much else away but I will say no matter what else happens, Matthew will not be dying in a car accident and Sybil will not die in childbirth – anything else is on the cards! I think I am even going to write a plot I would have argued against years ago – we shall see!

 **A Twist of Fate**

 _Chapter 1: Queen for the Day_

Almost as if it had been ordained to do so, the sun shone brightly on the day of the March wedding. There were one or two clouds in the sky but no more….

The bride was radiant and had known this day was coming for a long time. It was not the marriage to a prince charming she had hoped for when she had been read Cinderella as a child but it was a good match. Everyone said so. And through it, she was safe in her castle for ever.

As for the groom he was in love. Or he wanted to be in love which is very nearly the same thing.

The father of the bride felt as if he was satisfied by this marriage. After all the trouble and the worry over who was going to succeed him this was the end of the story. The cousin who he had watched grow and loved since he was a small boy become his son through marriage to his daughter and when he was gone, together they would gloriously reign over the kingdom which just for now was his and he did not feel as if you could say fairer than that.

As for the father of the groom he too felt as if this was a satisfying end to a journey. He had tried to accept a long time ago that it had been his cousin who was born to be an earl and not himself and he was the first to admit he had not always been good at it. But now he did have the comfort that if it was not going to be his life then at least it was going to be the life of his son and that did make it easier.

Though she did not know if she was being silly or not, the mother of the bride felt uneasy and she did not know why. She had been among the number who had campaigned for this match and yet as she at last saw all of their hard work come to fruition, she did not feel the joy which her husband did but could do nothing but wonder too late if this was the right thing for her child after all.

The mother of the groom was dead.

The grandmother of the bride and great aunt of the groom felt as if this was the best thing for both of the young ones as it gave her nephew who had liked enormously and the grand daughter who she loved much security. When she did go to the ground, she knew she could do so with what she had given her life to made safe and she could be forgiven for wanting that she thought.

As for the sisters of the bride the two of them had very different views.

One of them was just so glad to see her sister get to the end of the rainbow. To see her marry the man everyone had always known she would.

But the other could not feel as she did.

She felt so bitter that she was now never going to be with the man who she had genuinely loved ever since she was a young.

And it was a love now which was forever going to be unspoken – which was in many regards the most painful kind.

The wedding went off without a hitch. There were tears shed when the young couple pledged their love for the rest of their lives. The villagers cheered louder than they had done for an age when the groom lead his bride back out to the carriage.

It was all done as it should be – and no one could say fairer than that.

X x x

It was still not very often that the people who lived in Downton village came up to the big house, but of course they were invited to eat on the lawn for the wedding of Mister Patrick and Lady Mary. They were not all going to be invited inside but this was one occasion where Robert wanted to be Lord Bountiful and truly enjoy the day.

The current Countess of Grantham could not help but think her revered mother in law did not look as if she was very happy with this arrangement but as sad as it was, she was not going to have a lot of time to enjoy it that day – she had other worries on her mind.

Slipping away from the celebrations for a moment, Cora found herself outside of her eldest daughter's bedroom. She knew Anna was going to be in their getting Lady Mary ready for going away and even though she knew she was being more than a little bit ridiculous she found now she did not want her first born to go away from her. She wanted her there at home where she knew she was going to be well cared for and safe. It had not been that long since she had had Lady Mary and she had been a babe in arms. Or it seemed as if it had not been long right then.

But this was the way of the world she told herself and it had to be done. Daughters grew up and when they did they got married.

Mary was never going to be a spinster and marrying Patrick meant she was going to be able to stay at her beloved Downton for a long time to come.

Even though she was the lady of the house, she knocked on the door and only went inside when she was called in. Mary was after all, queen for the day.

"Ready for the off?"

"Just about," her daughter replied.

"What do you think Anna?"

"Yes, I would say we are nearly there, my lady."

"Then will you give me a moment to say good bye to Lady Mary."

The maid bobbed and left the room.

Personally her mistress would rather she had stayed but there was not a lot Mary could do to counter command her mother.

It has been a very fine day and they were now all saying today that honour had been satisfied thought Cora as she looked at her daughter. She had had no son but her child was going to inherit the Levinson money. And the Abbey to boot.

Yes, it was all well done.

"I just wanted to say how very proud your father and I were of you today." Cora said gently. Cora had not told Mary that much of late as the two of them had argued about guests and money and flowers for the wedding but she felt it was important that she said it just then.

"I am glad." Her daughter said with sincerity.

"Mary, I am not going to ask you if you love him very much for the two of us both know this is not a love match – but I do need to know one thing. Are you happy?"

"I do not see what that matters one way or the other now. The thing is done," she said as she looked in the mirror and wished very much her mother had not chosen to have one of what the family referred to as her American moments just then.

"I am your mother. Of course it matters."

That was not the attitude she had had all along in this thought Mary but it was her wedding day and she saw no need to end it on a row.

"I am happy I am going to be Countess of Grantham. I am happy to know this will be my house one day and my children will grow up here." That was all she could give to her mother right then.

The truth was she did love Patrick in a way – the way many cousins loved each other – she cared for him. But he would never have been who she had chosen for her husband. If she had been given the choice. Which she never had been.

She felt her mother's eyes on her and looked into them for a moment. That was not the answer which Cora had wanted but there was nothing which she could do about that.

"Do try and enjoy Italy my dear." She attempted another route.

"That I can absolutely promise to do." Mary replied brightly.

She was going to enjoy the sun. And she was going to enjoy the culture. She did not know if she was going to enjoy the company of her husband for an entire month but they would see about that.

Her mother nodded. "You really are a beautiful bride. My darling daughter."

"Thank you mama," Mary smiled as she learnt over and gave her a kiss. She was not going to leave her on an argument – that she refused to do.

"I know the last few months have not always been easy – and we have not always seen eye to eye. But I love you, very, very much…"

"I love you too."

X x x

It was always going to be the case, but Anna could not help but laugh a little about how long it had taken to pack for herself to go to Italy, in direct opposition to how long it had taken her to get Lady Mary's wardrobe ready for the trip.

She was sure she could have got herself ready several times over in the time she had spent getting Lady Mary ready.

But now, at last they both were and it was not going to be long until she was boarding the ship to take her to a foreign land for the first time.

She couldn't wait.

Looking across the room she shared with her best friend, she smiled at Gwen.

"Right, I think we are ready for the off so keep your eyes and ears open – when I am home I am going to need a lot of precise reporting."

"Anna, you are off to Italy for the month. I should think I am the one who is going to want precise reporting."

Anna did not know how to respond to that it was true. Not one in a hundred girls of that class got to do what she was.

She blushed as she thought of how lucky she was for a moment before turning back to Gwen.

"Is there anything else you need to know about take care of Lady Edith and Lady Sybil before I go?"

Gwen shook her head.

She didn't think so.

Already she was looking forward to Anna's return. She did not want to be in service and training as a ladies maid seem to go against everything that she wanted to do.

Still she would have her postal course in the evenings to keep her company and her dreams alive.

And it was not as if the woman she loved as a sister was going to be gone for too long – it was a month, and then she and the young Viscount Downton and his bride would return.

And not too long after that she thought with a smile, she would be off.

"I'll be fine – they will be fine. Enjoy yourself Anna and don't get to grand for me!"

The two Yorkshire lasses dissolved into laughter, safe in the knowledge that would never happen.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note:** You completely lovely lot – thank you so, so much for all your reviews! I am really glad you all enjoyed it and having had a break for the fandom, it is nice to know more than one of you think this is a fairly original twist 3 a few of you have asked about ships and ramifications of Patrick's survival on canon – I am not going to give too much away (it's far too early for that!) but I will say I am playing with mid game and end game ships and this is a very slow burning fic. I hope you all feel you can settle in for the duration!

 **Chapter 2: The New Normal**

She knew it was all hopeless now – she had given up all hope on the day of the wedding and yet Edith could not help but try and look especially pretty for Patrick on the day of his and Mary's return.

She found the very cruellest thing about love was that on no account did it take on board the feelings of the other person. It was just so achingly _there_ and as far as she was able to tell it was always going to be. That was that.

She went downstairs in a long brown skirt and a blue blouse, her hair softly curled. The best thing about Mary being back asides from seeing Patrick was going to be the return of Anna, as far as she was concerned. Gwen had done her very best of that she was sure, but when she did not have the experience of the senior maid there was nothing which she could do to rival her.

Of course when she got into the breakfast room all any of them were able to talk about was the returnees.

"And all is ready for the return of Mr and Mrs Crawley?" said Robert with a note of pride in his voice.

It felt to Edith as if he was rubbing it in in a way, even though she knew that was not the objective. Still she also knew now she was never going to be Patrick's wife.

And she felt as if she had dreamt of that day when she was going to be since she was a little girl in a party dress. None of this was fair.

"It is, milord," replied Carson and the tone in his voice was just as excited. Really, Edith thought it pathetic.

And then there was Sybil looking as if she was five years old and it was Christmas.

God knows why but their younger sister thought the two of them were such nice people and the one comfort was she would be just the same if it was Edith who had been away.

Sybil at least saw her sisters on equal footing.

"Do you think they will have had a nice time?" she asked their father.

"I am sure they would have had a lovely time."

Mary and Patrick had planned it together before they left, they had chosen Italy as it was going to be to both of their tastes. Robert did not see any reason in the world why they would not have had a wonderful honeymoon.

"But I am even surer we are going to hear all about it over dinner." Which Edith was looking forward to immensely, she thought to herself sarcastically.

"Is Cousin James coming?" he was the only member of the family who Sybil truly disliked.

"Yes he is. He is Patricks father after all." Their cousin lived not far away from them on the estate and as far as the girls were concerned, he could get over to the Abbey to say hello far too easily.

And he would use Patrick as an excuse to come more and more.

Sybil made a face at Edith total she just what she thought of that.

But if she thought her sister was going to mimic her and make a face in response then Sybil was soon disappointed. Edith sat down and begun her breakfast quietly, hoping against hope the day was not going to be as trying as she thought it was going to be but was unable to believe it wouldn't be.

X x x

Mary could not say she was not sorry the honeymoon was over as they came over the hill for it was a beautiful sight to see Downton Abbey came into view. And it was an even more beautiful thought that she was going to be the countess of it one day. This was always going to her home.

She looked to her side at Patrick. She was sorry she was not for a big romance in some ways but she was no longer a young girl in the nursery, desperate at the idea of a handsome prince. She did not think she had ever been for that matter, for she was not one to give herself over to sentiment. There were things in life which were of much greater importance.

As Mr Pratt drove the two of them to what was now sure to be there home one day, Mary and Patrick share a smile.

Even had she not desired him as a husband with all her heart she felt sure after the honeymoon they were going to be make a go of things. Her cousin who was now also her husband was nothing if not nice and she did not find him totally annoying. He was clever, could dance and had been raised as she had so they had the same values. She wasn't sure she could say the two of them agreed on everything but that was fine as she did like a good argument.

"I wonder what life at home is going to be like now we are Mr and Mrs Crawley." He mused.

If the truth was known she had not put a lot of thought in to it, and it was now on the tip of her tongue to say it was going to be in no way different to the way it had ever been but of course that was not true… it was wrong.

And so she settled with replying, "So do I."

For a start there were all the practical things. Anna would be a real Lady's Maid now. And she was going to be allowed to have her breakfast in bed. The other two young ladies of the house were not going to be able to do that for a while to come yet, if ever a small voice in the back of her mind said meanly. She hoped all of this was not going to change the way that she and Sybil were together but there was no such concern for the way her and Edith, for they had never been all that close or even really liked each other.

No, as long as it did not affect the way her and her darling sister were together then she was content.

Of course another way which her life was going to change she thought was that now she had a _husband_. She had a man in her life who from her knowledge of their honeymoon did seem to quite enjoy his martial rights and so she would have to get used to seeing her cousin in her room, which was not somewhere Patrick had spent a lot of time – not since they had all been very young. The last time they had been in and out of each other's rooms were when they had been very small. When they had been in the nursery in fact. But things were going to be all very different now and she was ready to face that she thought to herself.

A small smile came on to her face as they begun to roll up the drive – yes they were ready for this and they were going to make a go of it, she thought to herself.

And one day she would wake up and she would be who she had always dreamt of being.

Not just a wife but a mother and queen supreme at Downton. What a lovely thought.

X x x

Cora was pleased to see it did look and sound as if the young couple had had a good time. As soon as Mary came into view, she seemed well and her mother use that to as a balm to any worries she had had for her daughter when she had been away.

At the door of the abbey, Carson, Robert and Sybil had been waiting to make a fuss of them. On account of the fact they were not sure what time they would get in entirely, James had not been wired over and Cora suspected that was just the way Mary had wanted it. She would not have put it passed her daughter to leave the time which they were going to arrive home deliberately vague.

"Oh you do look well my dears," she said as she embraced them in turn, all the while desperately looking for some evidence that the great experiment had worked and that there was something deeper between them now.

But the truth of it was (to what she felt was her shame) she had never been very good at reading her eldest daughter.

Well it could be then that something had happened she thought to herself. Time would tell.

"We had a rather lovely break."

"We look forward to hearing all about it," her mother beamed.

Carson was giving orders for the luggage to be dealt with as Robert and his young cousin headed through to the library.

If Cora had hoped to monopolize Mary though, she was disappointed. It was not long before Sybil was holding on to her arm, thrilled to have her sister home.

But then she was superseded by her father who was not letting Sybil get a word in edge way, so eager was Robert to hear about the trip.

Sybil being Sybil though, she finally did.

"Oh Mary I need to talk to you," Sybil said as the sisters sat down together. More than anything their mother wanted to know what that was about.

No doubt she was going to be able to get it out of them later. She certainly hoped she would.

A little later than all the other, Edith arrived for tea.

She and Mary greeted one another civilly and Patrick and Edith with a little more warmth.

She tried to keep her feelings in check as he kissed her cheek.

"It is so good to see you."

She swallowed down her heart into her chest and sat quietly as the dissection of the honeymoon began.

X x x

It wasn't till they were getting ready for dinner that evening the youngest Crawley sister finally got the eldest to herself.

"Mary, you cannot know how good it is to have you home," Sybil said as she sat down on her bed. She had missed the two of them getting ready to go down together at night and she had wondered if it was going to continue now that her sister was a married lady. She knew there were plenty of people who thought Mary was far too grand for her own good but it did seem as if she was not yet too grand for Sybil and for that she was going to be forever grateful.

Especially now when the truth was she was sure she needed her more than ever.

"Well it is just as good to be home I promise you."

"Did you not have a nice time with Patrick?"

Mary thought on that for a moment.

"Well the two of us did not have an unhappy time." She said as she gave her sister a look that said she knew the way she and Patrick were together.

Mary did not quite like or approval of the look of sympathy her sister gave her just then and knew it was time to change the subject.

"So what have I missed my darling. What has been going on here?"

She hoped the answer would be nothing at all but for she was loathed to miss anything good but she saw from the way her sister blushed that was not quite the case.

"Sybil?"

"Oh Mary… I think I have met someone!"

So her younger sister had a crush. That was exciting news. It could not help but bring a smile to Mary's face.

"Do tell!"

"I went to stay with Imogen Blake for a few days. You know what parents are like about girls who are not yet out, but her mother and father had a small dinner. They have had a bit of legal work done lately," Sybil said lowly as if she was risking giving away some sort of state secret by imparting this information on her sister.

Mary waited for her to go on but she did not.

"So it is the lawyer you liked?"

"Oh Mary he was awfully kind and clever… and I think he may have a family connections as he is a Crawley too - but I think I want to get mama and papa to ask him here for the weekend."

Mary almost did not believe what she was hearing. If Edith had spoken of a man to come and see her (well that may have been less believable after all…) but at least she was of an age when her mother and father were not going to hit the roof at the mere suggestion…

But Sybil.

She was their baby and as far as Mary was concerned honestly she was her baby as well but she knew her younger sister and though she might be kinder with it, she was just as stubborn as Mary herself.

"Well, I think it may be a bit soon for all that. You are only sixteen."

"Mary, do not be so disappointing. You know as well as I do that I know my own mind. I am going to ask them and then him."

Seeing the mood Sybil was in she withdrew. She was going to have to come up with a better argument against it if she was going to stop it.

If she was able too.

"So I know he is a lawyer and his name is Crawley… may I know something else about the man who has apparently stolen your heart for his own."

"His name is Matthew and he is quite wonderful. That is all you need to know."

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	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note:** Thank you all again so much for your reviews – you're encouragement and comments have been so important already and helped shape this chapter massively… ie, gave me the reason I had been searching for so that Matthews arrival won't be completely forced. I am having a lot of fun with this (too much!?) Thanks so much again!

 **Chapter 3**

Edith was one of the first down that night. When she had been changing she had heard Sybil run over the hall and no doubt even then Mary was telling her more of what she and Patrick had done when they had been away on honeymoon.

Try as she might, it was all beginning to feel just a little bit too much for her.

Yet that was a feeling which changed when she saw she was not first down after all. Patrick was in the drawing room and now the two of them were quite wonderfully alone.

She had missed that while he had been away, more than she was able to say.

"Well the two of us being away clearly suits you. You do look well." Her cousin said as she came in to view. They had not had much of a chance to talk over tea, and certainly not on their own.

Edith sighed softly. "Oh I would not say that. Is it good to be home?" she asked not quite sure what she was going to do or say if the answer was a 'no'.

"It is good not to be travelling anymore and yes- it is always good to be back at Downton." He did not need to be told he was beginning to sound a lot like his Cousin Robert but there was not a lot he could do about that and it could be worse. Besides there was going to come a day in the future when he took over from him. He was his heir after all.

"I am glad to hear it. We all missed you very much." she added.

It was all she could allow herself.

"And we both missed all of you. So come and tell me what we have missed when we were gone."

Edith found it hard to believe her elder sister had missed her at all but she did not think it was quite the moment to comment on it.

She felt foolish for a minute as her mind went rather blank.

"Oh not so much." She sighed. "Sybil went to stay with a friend for a while and of course we have both been roped into helping with the benefit for the hospital."

"And now she is home so will Mary be." He was in no doubt of that. And in many ways it was more important for Mary to do this kind of thing than it was for the other two, he thought as it was going to be her who was going to be at the helm of it all one day.

Edith swallowed as she heard the name of her sister.

It was time to change the subject.

"And what are you going to be doing now you are home? It is going to be very much quieter for you with no wedding to plan."

"Oh you know I did not much get involved with all of that, I left it to Mary. "

He had wanted her to have the day she wanted. He had believed if she had had the wedding that she wanted then maybe it was going to help lead her to wanting the marriage which went with it.

But then Edith thought she had rather taken over too much.

It was Patrick's day as well or it should have been. He was the heir – not Mary.

"But now the two of us are home, it is time for me to get to grips with the real job of getting to know how to run the estate."

For now his elder cousin was king and Patrick prayed daily that it was going to be that way for a long time to come yet, but there was no getting away from the fact that one day in the future he and Mary would reign here.

The other job he and Mary had to work on together was the succession but he did not think his Cousin Robert was going to thank him for talking about it with Edith. He had a feeling not even he and Mary would not even discuss it. They would just do it. He came out of his own thoughts to find Edith was looking at him in what she could only think was a very an almost unnerving way he was about to ask what was the matter when his father came into the room.

James gave him a wide smile as he rushed to his side, his delight clear at the return of his son.

"My boy, how was it?"

Patrick smiled as they quickly embraced.

"Well I can't say it was not different to every other trip I have ever gone on before as it was."

"Of course it was. You went on it with your wife and that short of thing changes a man," James declared leaving no room for argument.

Edith felt her stomach flip. That was the last thing she wanted for Patrick to change. Even less so if he was being changed by Mary.

She was of the opinion he was perfect as he was. So she was horrified at his response to his father.

"I could not agree more." And what was worse was he sounded quite thrilled about it.

"So where is your lovely bride?"

"Catching up with Sybil," Edith informed him.

"And you are not there with them?" asked James as if that was terribly wrong of her.

"Why should she be when two of us where catching up?" Patrick had always been friends with all of his cousins after all and he had wanted to see how Edith was.

James had been about to respond to his son when the door opened and in came the other two Crawley sisters.

Edith saw it did not take a lot of time for the previous conversation to be forgotten.

"And how is my beautiful daughter in law?" James asked.

"Ravenous. I do hope it is not too long until we eat."

"Do not tell me that what when you were in Italy you were longing for Mrs Patmore's cooking."

"You would be surprised."

Before he had the chance to annoy her any more for he was very good at that, the door opened and someone who she did want to talk to came in.

"Darling Granny how good it is to see you," Mary said as she went to the dowager.

"And you my dear, you do look well."

"How was Italy?"

"It was a nice change of scenery, wasn't it, Patrick?"

"Very nice. Hello, it is lovely to see you looking so well Aunt Violet."

"As it is you. Are you both quite recovered from the wedding?"

"Really Granny, I do not know if we needed to recover from our own wedding day."

Patrick smiled. In one way or another it had been the happiest day of his life, so no he had not had to recover from it and was so glad to hear his bride felt the same.

She nodded as she looked at them as if trying to see if a big change had taken place between them. As far as she was concerned, it did not matter much if they had had 'nice' time which was why she had not asked.

They were married and would be for a long time to come. As the night went on she was pleased to see the very much was cause to hope for the way they were together.

She just hoped Edith would get over her crush and do it sooner rather than later.

Violet knew her granddaughters and knew her middle one would have had it so that she was the one who would walk down the aisle and become the next Countess of Grantham. Strange as it was, she did not believe that it was for the money or the power, but because she did truly love the earl to be, poor girl.

By the time they had all had dinner even Mary felt as if they had spoken to death about the honeymoon and was almost relieved at the change of topic to the more mundane aspects of village life. Her mother told her about the church flowers and about the benefit for the hospital. She had a horrible feeling she would be roped in.

It was all normal.

Or a least a new normal.

"I can give out prizes for the raffle but that is you lot." She told her mother.

"We will see about that."

But Mary was married women now and she knew from now on it was going to be a lot harder for anyone to make her do anything. She smiled to herself as she now knew she held a winning card which she was not going to be shy about playing.

"Are we going to have people up to stay any time soon?" asked Sybil.

So here we go, thought Mary and she braced herself but she had to admire Sybil.

She had guts.

"I don't think we have any plans but if you want to ask Imogen to stay you can." her mother shrugged.

"Well I do want to invite someone but it is not Imogen,"

"Who is it then?" her daughters great friend was the only one she was aware of Sybil seeing and writing to lately.

" _MatthewCrawley_." It was said in such a nervous rush that it all came out as a single word.

"Excuse me?" her father asked in a tone which she knew too well and didn't bode very well for her. He could not believe his ears.

"Matthew Crawley."

"That's what I thought you said," sighed Cora.

"Since that is a man's name, and you are all of sixteen years old, I know I have heard you wrong."

"My Patrick, what have you married into," his father jested though no one else found it funny.

Cora did not know a lot, but she did know that this was not the right time for them to be having this discussion – she could not help but think it was not even the right year. Sybil was growing up too fast and in this case acting above her years.

The wedding fever must have got to her.

"Let us talk about all of this later," said Cora in such a manner that it left no room for debate. This was Patrick and Mary's night.

She could see it was on the tip of Sybil's tongue to argue against her and if the truth of it Robert did not look as if he was ready to be silent either. In the end neither of them pushed on.

To begin with she agreed whole heartedly with Robert. No good could come of Matthew Crawley coming here and Sybil was fair too young for them to allow an attachment to grow.

Yet as the night went on she begun to see things differently, at least about Matthew coming to stay for the weekend… a little fresh blood might do all of them good…

And Sybil was not their only unmarried daughter.

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	4. Chapter 4

Thank you all for reviewing! They are very much appreciated : )

 **Chapter 4**

After the night she had had Sybil was sure she was going to sleep well. Arguing with her father always took it out of her but she did think she had made a little headway with him which was in some ways more than she had been expecting.

Still there was something she was yet to do before she lay her head down for the night or she knew she was not going to get any peace at all.

And that was to check on the sister closest to her in age.

"I just wanted to see you were alright before I went to bed." Sybil said once Edith had called her into the room.

She knew it had not been an easy night for her.

In fact of late it hadn't been an easy time for Edith in general.

"Well if it was hard you made it easier."

"James and Granny had fun."

"Well that is the main thing."

The sisters looked at one another for a moment before they dissolved into laughter.

"Do you really like him?" Edith asked. She did not have to specify who.

Sybil thought it unlikely she would put herself through all of that for a man she did not truly like. "I would not go up against papa for anyone."

"I dare say you would not." And to ask him here. Well, in truth it said everything which Edith needed to know. Her younger sister was as serious as she could be.

There was a gap in the conversation.

"Patrick looks well."

"Yes he does- he looks very well." Edith sighed.

For all Sybil's good intentions she wished she would just leave it all alone.

"I know it hurts you to see them together."

"It does, but not as much as it did on the wedding day," she lied in order to get the conversation over with.

"So you are getting used to it."

"Sybil they have been set up to marry since Mary was born – there is nothing to get used to."

Sybil did not looked convinced but did take the hint.

"I love you."

"I love you, Sybil. Goodnight."

Edith knew she had as always meant well at that moment she wished with all her heart Sybil had not come in. If she had just let her be then she may have held it together. Now it all stewed up in her again and before she had a chance to stop them the tears were rolling down her face.

X x x

"Are we going to allow it?" Cora asked as Robert came into the bedroom.

He looked flummoxed.

"I am the first to say our daughter could have chosen her moment better than Mary and Patrick's coming home coming dinner." For herself, Cora could not see that that mattered much. It was not the point at all though even she wished Cousin James had not been there to see it all.

It has given him his best night since Christmas.

"You know I met this Matthew Crawley in London and while I do not approve of our sixteen year old daughter taking it into her head to form a serious attachment to a man, I would rather it was to a man such as him than someone who would break her heart for the fun of it."

The truth was he did not much know Matthew from the baker's son but he seemed a steady sort of chap.

"So would I."

"If we leave it may blow over."

"Robert, I can tell you believe that no more than I do." Their daughter had been head strong since the day she was born and it was not often either of them could change the bridal with her. "I do not know if it would be better just to get it over with." Cora sighed.

"But we must be careful not to over indulge her Cora."

"And we are not going to – I do not think we can seriously be accused of spoiling any of our girls."

He laughed a low chuckle which said he felt rather differently but for right then she was more than willing to let it go. There were more important things at stake.

"I do not think we can let opportunities for the girls just pass us by."

There was not enough good one around anymore as it was.

"Sybil is going to get plenty of opportunities." For just a moment Cora remained quiet and Robert felt terrified as he saw the workings of her mind. She could not be serious. But he knew she was for she wasn't talking about their youngest. She was talking about their girls.

"So you are suggesting we ask a man Sybil hopes will be her beau here in the hope he falls for Edith?"

It is not a scheme which is likely to promote sisterly bonding.

"When he comes here I am sure he will realize Sybil is too young and she will see he is far too old… as sad as it is we all get our hearts broken at one time or another."

Robert sighed as he sat opposite Cora from where she lay reclining.

"Not normally before you are out though."

Cora had nothing to say to that but in all of this she could not claim very easily that it was Sybil who was her main concern.

"Edith has been so down in the mouth lately," Cora sighed.

It was not a topic which they had been able to discuss with any great ease yet.

Even before the engagement had been announced both of them had known – could not fail to be aware - that what Edith felt for Patrick went beyond cousinly affection.

But they had never been part of the plan. As their eldest daughter it was always Mary who in their eyes who should inherit and as Mary had grown it was clear she was in agreement.

If it was Sybil who had been born first maybe a lot would be different but as it was nothing was different.

Robert still felt staggered by what his wife was saying however.

"Are you seriously suggesting we –"

"I am saying it would not be an altogether bad idea for us to introduce Edith to a wider set if men. It was high time she put Patrick out of her mind, beyond time. But seeing how they lived together it was going to be no easy task."

She had played with the idea of sending the girl to her Aunt Rosamund's for a while but Edith was going to feel that deeply as well. Cora did not think their daughter was going to recover from it if she thought she was being sent away to make life easier for the newlyweds.

No, that was not going to do at all.

Robert looked at his wife and wished with all his heart he was able to come up with an argument against that. Edith did need to be introduced to other people – and yes, maybe other men. It would be one way which she was going to be able to recover from her infatuation and it might mean she was able to do it a bit faster than she would otherwise.

"I want you to know I am not easy about this," he said as he looked up at her.

"But you are not going to stop me from asking Matthew Crawley here?" she asked with a look that said she was a cat who had just caught her mouse.

"Since I haven't ever been able to stop you do something which you truly want to before, I doubt I would succeed in this instant if I tried either."

X x x

"Do you think Sybil is serious about this lawyer chap?" Patrick asked as he came into Mary's room.

He knew how much the two of them confided in each other.

He had grown up around them after all.

Mary nodded.

"Sadly for papa I think she is." She wished she had been here to stop her sister getting this mad idea into her head for prevention was so much better than cure. She did not believe their parents had ever successfully talked their youngest child out of anything and she knew without a doubt it was going to be an Augustinian task for her as well if it came to it and it very well might.

"God knows what he is like."

"It is a wonder that your father is not nipping this in the bud while he can."

"The problem is in some ways Sybil is being very sensible about all of this. It is not as if she is trying to hide it away."

"But he won't come here, will he?"

Mary considered, and on the balance she could not be so sure he would not. "Mama grows more like Mrs Bennet every day, obsessed with marrying off her daughters. If she can ever find a man to take Edith it is going to be a miracle and so maybe an easy match for Sybil has its attractions."

"Really, Mary, must you be so unkind about Edith all the time."

She considered for a moment before saying quite coolly- "Yes, I think I must."

She had never spared her for the sake of their parents so why he thought he was going to be so different she could not imagine.

"Patrick, you are my husband and my cousin – and I do love you but you knew who I was all along so I beg you – do not act as if you are disappointed now."

That was too much.

Slowly he nodded as he acknowledged every bit of that to be true.

"Let's not fight on our first night home. That day has been eventful enough as it is." he pointed out and that she was not going to deny.

That was when he did what he had never done before and got into her bed. When the two of them had been on honeymoon it had not been so embarrassing for it had been as if either of them had got into each other's bed, which they had slept it for years. Somehow being away had made all of it easier.

"Is this ok?"

"For the beginning of the night," she said with a nod. That she felt she could consent too.

"And later on?"

"Really smart people sleep apart Patrick. And so will we."

Or they would as long as it took to get used to all of this.

She saw the light which had been in his eyes when he came into the room die a little. So he had thought he was here for the night…

"I know it was not the way we did things when we were in Italy but we are home now and I just think we should be sensible about all this."

He nodded as he tried to recover himself.

"Whatever you think to be the best my dear," he said as he lay at her side and awkwardly kissed her forehead.

He could well imagine she might have said that before the wedding but he had thought things had changed when they were away.

Still maybe all she needed was a little time to get used to all of this. And that was something which they had plenty of time.

They were at the start of their marriage and there was no need to rush at all.

It'd all come out fine in the end.

X x x

Gwen waited up for Anna. She was thrilled to have the woman who was like her sister home and very eager to here all about the trip and the marriage. She did not believe she was at all wrong in thinking that it was going to yield some of the best gossip which they had had for a very long time.

It was gone dark- well past ten and coming up for eleven by the time Anna came up. She was tired but luckily not over tired.

"I can't say I am not sorry to see the end of the day." The blonde murmured as she plaited her hair for bed.

"Your day is not at an end," Gwen reminded her.

Anna smirked.

"What was it like? Italy?"

There was only one way to describe it.

"Different and so very interesting."

"I am going to want a bit more than that but what about the two of them?"

Gwen had so many questions she was not sure which to ask first so a general one seemed to work best.

Anna grimaced. She and Lady Mary had grown up together and so even though they were lady and lady's maid she had always felt the bond between them was a bit stronger than that description allowed.

They were friends as well even if it did go unsaid.

As her friend this was not the match that she had wanted to see Mary make. She understood the reasons behind it and knew there were plenty in the family who felt differently but…

Patrick and Mary were now in a marriage of convenience from which there was no escape.

In Italy she had seen what she could only hope were genuine moments of warmth between them. If they were then they were going to have a base from which they could begin, which was just what they needed.

"I think they are getting to know each other in a whole new way."

Gwen was about to ask how to ask how cousins who had grown up together could get to know one another new way when they had grown upside beside but held her tongue for fear of appearing naïve.

Anna seemed more grown up for her trip away. God knows the effect it had had on the bride.

Anna told Gwen about the people she had met, the places she had seen – all very different to home. She was almost glad to be back in Yorkshire, in their little corner of the world… where nothing ever happened. Almost.

"Oh you did miss one thing when you were away," said Gwen just as the two of them were settling down to go to sleep.

"What was that?" asked Anna wishing she had not chosen the moment her mind was turning off to go to sleep to remember.

"We had all the drama of his lordships new valet."

"What happened?"

"Well he turned up and he had a walking stick and limp. Apparently he had served as Lord Grantham's bat man during the south African war."

"He sounds as if he was an interesting fellow."

"He was – I always found him kind and so did William. But you know what Miss O'Brian and Thomas are like."

They had not taken to him at all.

"Is he still here?"

"No."

"You think it is there fault he is gone?"

"Well they were not happy about him being here I will say that. We had a grand dinner and he fell and his lordship took it all very badly. But I think he would have run after the motor to ask him to stay had a telegram from Italy not arrived right then to stop him." His lordship had not appeared comfortable with the decision.

"Poor man – I'll have to light a candle for him this Sunday." She would not wish the two of them to be on anyone's back. "What was his name?" Anna asked.

"Mr Bates."

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	5. Chapter 5

**Author Note –** Hi all! I am so sorry for the long delay in posting this, especially when the fic is so new! I have just been really busy the last few weeks. The Matthew to my Mary and the Tom to my Sybil popped the question a few weeks ago (I very much will be a bride on the brink of heaven – eek!) and we're buying a place together so all in all I have been left no time for writing! It has been an absolutely lovely time though…

Thank you all for reading, reviewing and having so much patience with me! As the house sale goes through and wedding planning begins and I have holidays booked all over the next month, I can't promise chapter 6 is going to appear any quicker though I do promise my best to try and get it up quicker – but it absolutely is coming so please don't think I am giving up! A Twist of Fate is too much fun for that!

To the anon who commented on spelling and grammar, thank you so much for your advice: especially re: grammarly, which I am going to be looking into. I have made an especial effort with this chapter so fingers crossed it is going to be a little better! Without further ado, and at long last..…

 **Chapter 5**

As strange as it would be for him to say it out loud, Joseph Molsley found he could not be sad for Lady Mary and Mister Patrick that their honeymoon was over.

The reasons for this were two fold. As Mister Patrick's valet, he had felt like a right chump when he had fallen unwell just before the trip. He had kept saying to his father he was sure he was going to recover in time to go – he was not going to let his young sir down when he needed him.

But as it was it had not been possible…

Of course, Patrick had been kind and good about it as he always was. Mr Molsley was sure he was one of the most agreeable men he had ever met.

Within a day or two of them being gone he was back up on his feet and as a result had just had to endure near enough a month with nothing to do which had been quite a trial to him before the end…

He had got more than a little bored.

But there was a second more pressing reason why he was glad the trip was at an end and why he was so glad they were home – all of them.

And that included Anna Smith…

He had so been looking forward to them getting to know one another on the trip a bit more. She was Lady's Maid to Lady Mary and he was valet to Mister Patrick. They were of the same rank and she was so pretty and sweet…

He did want to get to know her better. Being in Italy together, wondering around the galleries would have been a wonderful chance to do that for sure. But just because he had missed what was maybe going to be the best opportunity to get to know her, that did not mean there was not going to be another.

He just had to create it.

And that was the thought in his head when he went down to breakfast that day.

He found the blonde already downstairs, bright eyed, drinking her first cup of tea of the day.

He made a bee line for the seat next to her.

"Morning."

"Good morning."

He tried to contain himself but failed…

"It is good to have you home, Miss Smith." She would not have thought it mattered either way to Joseph Molsley where she was, but he was being kind and so she was not going to be anything but kind to him in return. It was not going to do any harm and her mother had brought her up with manners.

Thomas Barrow's ears stood up across the table.

"That is nice to hear."

"The place was not the same without you."

And that was apparently the end of his courage for as he looked away to pour his own cup of tea, Anna could not help but notice that the tops of his ears were a little pink.

Poor Mr Molsley he had not been with them for very long.

By rights as valet to Mr Patrick, he should have come with them to Italy but he had been unwell on the day of the wedding and so therefore he had not been able to travel with them, she mused. She was sure someone had said it was all just down to too much wine but she was not going to credit it as she knew it all just had to be unkind gossip. He did appear to be a gentle soul and that was the way she would treat him.

"Well – I am glad to be home." Gwen was trying to catch her eye at the end of the table but it did not seem a good idea to let that happen right then. Gwen's eyes were not the only ones of them, but Mr Carson's and Mrs Hughes's eyes were much heavier – they seemed to bore into her.

She was sure the house keeper thought that the stork was going to bring all the house maids husbands and if there was one thing that was for sure it was that the butler did not approve of romance below stairs.

As she was still trying to work her way up the ladder in her career the last thing that she wanted to do was to ruffle any feathers.

Particularly those of Mister Carson. It seemed to her as if he was a good man to keep on side.

She had to keep her head down and work hard and then it was going to all come good for her.

Especially with her promotion.

Therefore she was glad when the bell went and she had an excuse to leave the servants dining room.

It was a chance to get away, to get to work and at that moment that was just what she wanted to do.

x x x

The truth was even as Robert sought Sybil out the next day he was not sure of the wisdom of what he was doing.

Cora had a cunning plan but he could not say he was at all sure it was going to work or if he should be encouraging her to go ahead with it.

As far as he could see there was too much chance for not one, but two of his daughters to get hurt. That was the last thing in the world that either himself or Cora wanted, yet at the same time the girls were beginning to grow up.

In the next few years he was sure the two of them were going to meet chaps and go off to build their own lives with them.

But whether he and his wife should be bringing young men to the house for the specific reason of meeting their girls… Robert wasn't sure they should be doing that. Maybe if they had had to do so for Mary he would be more comfortable with it…

Yet considering there wasn't many other ways to meet men and every family had to do it, he guessed he better make his peace with it. He knew deep down it was just the fact Sybil had found him and yet it was Edith they were bringing him here for… there lied the problem thought Robert.

As soon as his daughter had him in her sight she was on her feet.

He had found her in the entrance hall waiting for her mother – apparently Cora had arranged a shopping expedition in to York.

Maybe this was the first attempt to change the bridal with their daughter and if it was, then all he had to say to his wife was good luck for the look in her eye said she was not going to be put off.

"Have you had a chance to think about what I said over dinner papa?" she asked and for a bizarre moment it seemed as if the words were coming out of the month of a five year old Sybil for that was how he still saw her some times.

He thought that must be common in many parents. To see your child still as your child.

As much as part of him wanted to he knew there was no point in putting it off. "I think against my better judgement and with some help from your mother I have."

"And?"

"And it does seem as if I have an invitation to write does it not?"

It was almost worth it for the way Sybil's face lit up. Almost…

"Papa, I do not think I can tell you how grateful I am to you for this – he is a wonderful man and I promise you, you are not going to regret this."

She sounded as if she was so sure and steadfast in that moment.

Somehow it broke his heart and he already regretted it.

The one thing which he was sure of it was going to be a lucky man who did win his child's heart.

Sybil was so sunny and sweet and strong.

He could only hope that was never going to turn work against her, for that was going to be the cruellest thing of all.

x x x

Mary had had a lie in that morning. She had felt she had nothing less than deserved it after the traveling the day before and then the dinner. Thanks to her little sister, it had been quite the dinner.

She had awoken to find her bed was empty which she had to say was just the way she liked it in the morning.

Patrick might be her husband but she did not like the idea of him seeing her sleep tussled and blurry eyed.

Not yet, if ever.

After she had come round, she had rung the bell and found she had no such difficulty in allowing Anna see her in that state.

"Did you sleep well my lady?" her maid had asked as Mary continued to lie in bed and if it had been from the lips of a different girl then it may have sounded impertinent but from her old friend it just sounded caring.

"Well," Mary had admitted.

It was good to be home.

She had her first lazy breakfast in bed before she had went down to face the world and it was then that she had stumbled upon her father and Sybil, her sister looking like the cat who had got the cream.

Oh no – he hadn't? Not yet before she had had the chance to put this particular fire out.

"Papa?" she asked.

But it was Sybil who spoke.

"Matthew is coming for the weekend Mary – isn't it wonderful?"

Mary was more than curious as to why their father was letting it happen when he looked as if he thought the news was less than wonderful. Mary was going to have to try to get to the bottom of that one but she did feel annoyed. If only her parents had waited.

"Just wonderful."

"Mama and I are going to go into York - would you like to come?"

"And there was me hoping I was going to get you to join me for a walk in the gardens," another voice said as Patrick came out the breakfast room and joined the conversation at the bottom of the stairs.

Mary's head said she should go and spend a bit of time with him on their first full day home.

It was what was expected of her but then she had never been very good at doing what was expected of her.

Not since she had been a very little girl.

"I think I am going to go in to York with the others actually. What with Matthew coming, no doubt Sybil is going to want to get a new dress - I must go and make sure she does not get her own way everything."

It was not as if she could have it all of the time.

Her sister stuck her tongue out of her playfully the way she might have down when the two of them were girls and their father wondered to himself if they were really any more than that even now.

They were still young, that was for sure…

"So he is going to come?" Patrick asked Robert.

"For my sins."

Or for Cora's perhaps.

"Well then – have a wonderful time my dear," said Patrick as he kissed Marys cheek.

If there father was not there them Sybil was sure she could have laughed out loud at her sister and her cousin for it still seemed so bizarre for her to see them acting like a married couple.

Having all shared a nursery together and being so much younger than the others, she had seen Patrick as a brother.

But now he was Mary's husband …

She had felt such joy for them on their wedding day and she still did. But to see the two of them living out there marriage was bizarre at no mistake…

Still she would get used to it.

And she had a feeling it was going to be easier for her to do so than for Mary.

"Are we ready for the off?" asked Cora as she came down the stairs to see the girls waiting for her.

"I will be as soon as I get my hat," replied Mary.

"Mama!" beamed Sybil, "Papa has said Matthew can come."

"Wonderful!" Cora replied smiling at her husband.

"Mr Crawley may yet decline our invite, so let's not get too excited yet Sybil." her father said and instead of Cora's eyes, it was Mary's he looked too for support.

"He will," said Sybil knowingly.

X x x

Around a week later, in a suburban Manchester street, a widowed mother and her young doctor son settled down for breakfast.

"You are not going to believe what I got in the post this morning," said Matthew Crawley to his mother as he sat down at the dining table opposite her,.

"Oh what was that?" Isobel asked as her maid laid dinner. "Thank you Beth."

"Mam."

"A letter from Downton Abbey in Yorkshire– an invitation to visit."

She raised her eye brows and smiled. "Is this from the young girl you thought so charming at the dinner party?"

Sybil Crawley she knew had made quite an impression on her son. It was not every day he rushed home to tell his mother about a girl he had met over dinner but in this case he had. Naturally she was as curious as she was sure any mother would be.

"Well it was from her father, Lord Grantham who I have met once or twice in London. He is a nice enough fellow but the short answer is yes. I suspect she has put him up to it."

"Well then I guess the real question is will you go?"

He had been thinking about it all day arguing the toss of the matter. She was so young he was not sure he wanted to marry yet and yet…

Yet he did not seem to be able to put her out of his mind.

It was quite infuriating for he was not sure it was all together proper. Her seventeenth birthday was just around the corner, but it was quite an age gap.

But then he knew he did not have to go with the intention of stealing her away. His intentions, such as they were, were entirely honourable, nothing improper at all. He could go with the intention of having a rather lovely weekend away and doing some family history.

They were related to the Downton Abbey Crawleys he had read somewhere.

He could look into that…

And maybe it would help him put certain thoughts out his head.

"Yes. Yes, I think I will go. It seems rude not to go when they have asked me to stay."

His mother nodded knowingly, with a gilt in her eye which he had to admit made him uncomfortable.

"Oh, quite so."

"Mother."

Isobel smiled.

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	6. Chapter 6

Thank you for all your comments and well wishes :)

Chapter 6

The night before Matthew was due to arrive, Cora went in to Edith's room before dinner. She knew she had to plant the seeds in her mind before he came and she did want to see how she was. Now Mary was settled, Edith was her task and though she did not wish to be unkind to her daughter she knew in some ways it might be quite a task. Edith did not have Sybil's sunny disposition and she did not seem to have the same grace as Mary.

But then she was eager to remind her self she did have advantages. She was the daughter of a great house and a long line. Though there was not much money for her dowry – certainly nothing like her own had been – there was some and she was by no means an unattractive girl when she smiled.

She thought her rather pretty in fact and she was sure she did not think that just because she was her mother.

Quite asides from that she knew her to be clever as well. Of course her grandmother was going to say that sort of thing was not to be encouraged in a young girl but she had brains. Once more she thought because she did not read the amount Sybil did and because she did not have Mary's grasp on the classics she got over looked to her sisters but she was clever.

She went in to her room to find her at her vanity looking as if she was down in the dumps, which came as no surprise to Cora.

She had loved Patrick and if it had been a true love then it was going to take her some time to recover.

As her mother, Cora knew if she could change things for her then she would… it in a heartbeat but then there were some wounds which needed time to heal and she feared this was one of them.

But if a new Mister Crawley was going to be able to help that wound heal quicker for her child then maybe this was all a rather wonderful plan after all.

For a while, Edith did not even seem to know she was there but Cora found it quite sad the way her daughter straightened up when she did see her, as if she wanted to hide from her the way she was feeling.

No child should have to do that from its mother. Least of all her children.

"I am not going to be long mama." she said.

"I am not here to badger you in to coming down my darling – I just want to make sure you are not too sore."

She found whenever she wanted to talk to one of her girls on their own it was best to try and do so before dinner. Asides from then it was so hard to get them on their own.

Cora once more disliked them way that her daughter looked at her as if that was suspicious in some way.

"I am the same as I have been ever since the day my sister got married."

"I know none of that was very easy for you."

Edith shook her head. It had not been easy for her in the least.

Yet the time to dwell on that was gone in the eyes of her mother. Edith was sure it was her mother's American blood which made her so determined to move with the times, even if occasionally it felt to her like heartlessness.

"But time is moving on now Edith and this is the way things are now my darling." Cora said as she tried to end the direction which the conversation was going. And to give her daughter a reminder of the facts. There was going to be no changing them after all. "It is time for us all to get used to that. But I do want to know if there is any way I can make that a little easier for you." Cora said and was taken back by the look which crossed Edith's face. This time she found she could not keep her mouth shut.

"My darling daughter you are my child – there is no need to look so surprised that I want to help you."

Yet for Edith there clearly was reason.

There was an awkward silence between mother and daughter for just a moment before Cora released she was just going to have to push on.

"Edith please tell me what I can do to make this better?"

Bring me Patrick back.

"I do not know."

"Well, I am here when you do work whatever what is out – and in the meantime do try and have a little fun – like over the next few days. We are having a little house party. You are a daughter of this house and there is no reason why you should not enjoy it more than anyone else."

Edith gave a nod and hoped that was true.

X x x

Mary walked into the sitting room which was now the preserve of the Viscount and the Viscountess Downton. Patrick was there, reading a newspaper.

"Hello darling." The joy in his voice was evident. It was not often the two of them were alone now they had come home.

"Patrick."

He smiled at her and knew himself to be a liar if he said he did not wish he had seen a little more of Mary that week - it had been a sharp contrast to the amount of time the two of them had had together when they had been in Italy. It was true he had always know his Cousin Robert meant to involve him more in the running of things as soon as they got back but he had hoped to see her more. And the fact was, he was not seeing her just because of her father. It was also that she often chose to go riding or out with her mother and sisters whenever she could and it was beginning to feel as if she preferred any company to his.

"Sybil's beau arrives today," Mary reminded her husband. She knew her sister was going to want them out in force to meet him and now he was coming she could not deny she was rather curious about them man who had so ably stolen her sisters heart. "Sybil has been away with the fairy's all morning – apparently, he's rather handsome."

Patrick looked up from the newspaper he had been reading.

"Well I must say when he gets here you must try not to like him more than me." Patrick said as he took a drink of the tea he had at his side. It had meant to come out as a joke or else clumsy request to spend a bit more time together yet he knew as soon as he had said it he had not pitched it right – the look on her face said that.

He did not know why he had said it and the only thing he could put it down to was awkwardness and frustration.

He had admired Mary since the two of them had been very young and even when she had said yes she would marry him he did not truly believe it. She was too headstrong for him he sometimes thought and he had said so to his father but James said in time she was going to settle and he was going to feel stronger.

And in spite of it all, he had always wanted to be wed as they were right then.

So they had married. And they had gone on honeymoon.

And when they had been there they had had a truly lovely time together.

But since they had got home it was as if they were not moving forward.

It was as if they were struck in a rut.

Already.

"Do not be absurd. As if I would prefer a man who will barely be able to carry himself like a gentlemen to you," she had not yet seen him but she knew he was not going to hold a candle to Patrick when it came to being a gentlemen.

And the words were born out guilt but not love for she had already begun to wonder what certain things were like with a man you chose for yourself.

It had begun when she had been out with her mama and Sybil in York. They had been sitting in a tea room when she had seen a young courting couple out together.

She had assumed they were servants from the manner of their speech and their clothes but in that moment she had seen how different there life was to hers.

And she knew she was begun ungrateful for all of the advantages she had had in her life but she had been jealous of them – for being able to be with someone who they truly cared for rather than someone who made sense within their family.

The thing was she and Patrick were not was romantic and it was not often she felt the loss of that, but when she had looked at that young couple she had and she had not liked it…

It had felt cruel to her somehow. And even when Sybil spoke of Matthew… no matter what else he was he was her choice. She only wished she had been able to have some kind of choice.

"My – Mary do not be angry with me, I was only teasing."

"You of all people as my husband should know I do not liked to be teased." She said as she did an about turn.

He was her husband and her cousin but he had not right to treat her that way and she meant to set out as she meant to go on – he wasn't going to get used to speaking to her like that, she thought as she shut the door.

Patrick shut his eyes as he left, knowing her had had what he wanted in his hands and then he had let it go. They had been on their own and they had ended up having an argument. What a waste.

X x x

Matthew found his breathe was quite taken away when the abbey came into sight.

Sybil had said she lived in a big house but it was not the same as seeing it up close. It was rather grand – like something from a novel or a newspaper serial.

He had also been expecting to either walk or try and get a cart to the abbey. Sybil's suggestions of sending a car had seemed to be extravagant but now he saw it was just the way she had been brought up. And the car ride had been a real treat.

It was a different life to what he and his mother were used too, at no mistake. The hills continue to roll away as the house was revealed in a lot finer detail. Then as he drew up at the end of the drive, the doors opened and the whole family came out to greet him.

But all he could see was Sybil.

The truth of it was in the time the two of them had been apart he had had cause to wonder if he was doing the right thing. She was so young. However, he reasoned with himself that nothing inappropriate was going to happen between them. He was not going to allow that - it was not as if he was going to carry her off that day. All he wanted to do was get to know her a bit better. There was nothing wrong with that.

And as she came into view that was brought home to him.

She was so beautiful. And spirited. And he was looking forward to spending the time they now had to get to know each other.

He smiled jovially as he got out the car. "My word what a reception committee."

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	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Robert was pleased to see his kinsman was so happy to be visiting his home.

Lord Grantham chuckled. "Welcome - it is good to see you again Matthew," Robert said as they shook hands.

When they had met in London he had thought he was a good man and on his second first impression of this distant relative of his, he thought the same thing... it could all be so very much worst …. he did, on the surface, seem entirely respectable.

"I do not think you have yet met my wife, Lady Grantham," Robert said as he introduced them.

"I am honoured," he said as the lady took his hand and pressed it, he wondered what she thought of him and if he was worrying her by being here.

He hoped not - on no account did he wish to do that.

"I hope you had a good journey."

"I did - the train flew all the way here." he said with a grin.

"And I trust they feed you?"

"Some tea and cake."

"Well I am sure we are going to be able to improve on that before the end of the night."

x x x

Being there to welcome Mister Matthew to the abbey had been an option rather than a command so while Lady Mary and the family were busy Anna had chosen to take a few moments to herself. She felt as if she had very little time to catch her breath of late and knowing that of course Carson and Hughes were going to be going out to satisfy their curiosity about this Mister Matthew had only increased her desire to stay in. She was sure she was going to get a catch to have a look at him later in the visit.

Gwen to had gone up so she was down stairs with Thomas, Mr Molsley and Lily, each of them enjoying a few moments peace.

Or so she thought.

As for Mr Molsley, it _had_ been his intention to go and greet Mr Matthew for he felt it was his duty to go and support Mister Patrick where ever he could.

They were as close as any man and his valet and he was well able to tell things were not right between him and Lady Mary. He could not help but wonder if Anna knew it to but if she did, then she was not saying it.

If the two of them were only a bit closer then he was sure they were going to be better place to share confidences about their master and mistress but if the truth was known, that was the last reason he wanted to be closer to Anna and the real reason was well – he was sure he was beginning to develop some very real feelings for her and he wanted to give her the chance to do the same.

Now he had a good job, Joesph Molsley was sure he was going to be able to support a wife and for the first time in his life his prospects were attractive.

And it was high time he made something of his life - in all ways.

So it was time to bite the bullet.

"Anna, can I ask you something?" he said as he went in to the kitchen.

If she was being honest with herself then she wished he had made his request at any other time rather than during the time of the day than when she was sitting quietly enjoying a rare afternoon cup of tea.

But he had. And she was not going to deny him.

"Of course, you can Mister Molsley," she said with a smile that hide the way which she truly felt.

"The next time there is a picture showing in the village, I was wondering if you would like to come with me?"

She felt her heart sink for she had been dreading that he was going to ask her something of the sort.

But then she heard a sniggering.

"Mr Molsley, I do not know why you do not leave the poor girl alone," said Thomas, from where he sat listening across the room. "It is clear she is not interested in you."

She did not think she had ever seen any man get so embarrassed so quickly.

Anna knew what Thomas had said had been the case in the past. In fact, if she was honest with herself, then it was still the case now. But Mr Molsley had been kind to her of late and the two of them were forming a together friendship of a sorts – different to the other ones she had. True, she was not attracted to him as a woman should be attracted to a man but knew she could do a lot worse.

And she was always going to champion kindness of over cruelty.

And this was one laugh which she was not going to hand over to Thomas on a plate, she thought to herself.

"Whenever there is next a show on in town then I am going to be honoured to come with you – thank you for the invitation."

Disappointment and hurt turned to joy for Mr Molsley in an instant whereas Thomas just raised his eye brows. Anna knew in that moment she had been the one who lost as the sheer fact of the matter was the footman did not care who she spent her time off with.

He had just been having a laugh.

But maybe it had been the worth it for the smile on Mr Molsleys face either way. A trip to see a picture Anna mused to herself…. no harm could come from that.

X x x

It was with her husband's words ringing in her ears that Mary went out to meet the new arrival. She did not know why but it made her dislike him on meeting. After all he had come up in the fight and so it must all be his fault. She did not need to be told that logic left a lot to be desired.

The truth was it was born out of frustration with her life and circumstance. It was frustration that nothing in her was different when it came to Patrick – or at least not in a good way. She had known she was not going to fall in love with him on the wedding day. But now he was her husband and behaved as such. In spite of their efforts, as of yet she showed no signs of being with child. And though she was in no way what you could call sentimental, when she heard the way Sybil talked of Matthew, she could not help wishing there was a mention of love in her marriage beyond what one cousin might naturally feel for another.

And then it was all she could do to stop herself comparing the Crawley man who had just turned up to the one she had married. It was Patrick who was found wanting.

Patrick's eyes were muddy green but Matthew's were clear blue.

She did not want to find him handsome she thought almost spitefully as he was talking to her mother.

But she did. She could see exactly why her sister found him attractive.

"Let me introduce you to my daughters – of course, you know Sybil but this is my eldest Mary."

"Mr Crawley," she said rather stupidly.

"It is a pleasure Lady Mary."

"Likewise." she said formally.

He took her hand and pressed it as he had done her mother's. It was warm and try as she might to deny Patrick words had been oddly prophetic.. which made her like Matthew both more and less.

So far everyone had been very kind to him but Matthew had hoped to be able to know a little more of Mary even on a first meeting. It was clear she meant a great deal to Sybil just from the way she had spoken of her to him at dinner so he did want her approval.

He was too busy thinking this to try and come up with something else to say and it was clear she was not going too.

Conversation seemed to be rather stilted between them and Mary's mother did not seem to be eager to see any develop.

"And this is my daughter Edith."

There was something about the way that she said it that made him sit up and take notice of the countess and it was apparently the same effect it had on Edith. She looked at her mother as if wondering what she was doing before she looked at him and tried to make the best of an odd beginning to a conversation.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." she said with a smile.

"And you."

"Did you have a pleasant journey?"

"I did, thank you," he said and that seemed to be enough for Edith for she smiled politely - he had no argument with this as it meant he could turn his attention to Sybil but the way Cora caught her daughter's eye said something had gone wrong there.

But to what it was, Edith was oblivious.

"Lady Sybil."

Try as she might to keep her excitement in, she could not. It was not very lady like but she had been so looking forward to seeing him again and how he was here. It was wonderful.

"It is so good to see you again," she said with a true and wide smile.

"And you," and for just a while none of the others mattered. This was why he had come to see and it had been worth ever mile.

And then in a direct contrast everyone else did mattered and for just a moment, it felt to Sybil how Mary must have for all this time - as all eyes were on her and they were judging. If anything was between them. It was then that her mother stepped in and saved her, thank god.

"Why don't we all go and have some tea?"

As it was her father's house, in Sybil's mind, she had no doubt Mathew was doing the right thing when he drew back to walk in with her father.

"Does Mama seem quite well to you today?" asked Edith as her sister came to her side. But Cora was not Sybil's concern.

"Mama does –Mary not quite so to me…"

Sybil politely left one sister for the other.

"Mary – are you feeling well?" Despite being able to see that there was something not quite right with her eldest sister, Sybil's excitement meant she was not quite able to contain the next questions. "What do you think of Matthew? Do you like him?"

"'What did I think of him' darling…. There is only so much I can think of a man who has so far said a grand total of six words to me." Mary sighed with slight exasperation as she sought to walk with her mother.

Sybil returned to Edith and finally, they all made their way into the Abbey.

X x x

Tea was pleasant and to the surprise of no one, Matthew was at the centre of it all. More than once there was a desire in Sybil to pull the others away and tell them to give Matthew a rest after his journey, something which she hoped he was going to get a chance to do before dinner. But it would be for her and not for him.

On the contra, he seemed to be coping rather well.

He was more than happy to talk about his job as a company lawyer. He spoke about his life in Manchester as well as his mother. It was clear he had got a good education and he was plenty eloquent enough for her father, who dearly like him. She was well aware that her papa liked to think he could hide his feelings. That he was an English gentlemen but if the truth was known, she had always found him to be rather emotional. No, the only one she was not able to read was her sister Mary. When she did not like someone, it was not like her to spare their feelings.

But the fact of it was Mary just looked bored by it all.

Still in a bad mood from the rough words she had had with Patrick she had no desire to be there. Sybil was not usually embarrassed by her sister but just then she could not help but feel that.

Luckily her father continued to be the opposite and tried to make Matthew as welcome as could be.

The topic of discussion soon turned to their mutual surname.

"Yes it is an odd kind of coincidence," Matthew admitted as he and Sybil smiled over at him.

It had of course been one of their first topic of conversation when they had introduced themselves.

"So are we actually related then?" Edith asked.

"Certainly – but lets just check exactly how." Robert replied as he went to get Burkes Peerage.

Sybil felt herself flush. It was not the sort of thing that mattered to her and if she had her way then they would not be getting that book out.

What little Matthew already new of Sybil told her that so he sent her was reassuring smile. He was not out of his depth and he was more than willing to play along with her father if that was what it took to gain his approval. He wanted it more and more.

She only hoped that they were not going to bore him too much with it all.

But then they were not used to entertaining a man who had a real life she thought to herself. Let alone an actual job.

But Matthew was game and went over the trough through the pages with her father. She stayed for a moment where she was listening to her sister and her mother discuss a new dress for Edith when she heard her father exclaim… "Good god in heaven!"

That was it. She decided then and there Matthew had been at her father's mercy for too long. It was time to save him.

"What is it?"

Cousin James, who had previously been nowhere near, also went over to where Robert stood with Patrick and Matthew but it was not long until she got the feeling he had grasped the situation a whole lot easier than she did.

"Papa?"

It was then he begun to point out the way in which they were indeed related to Matthew. It was a lot closer than either of them knew.

Their connection went back to the time of the fourth Earl, yet it was the repercussion of the lack of males born into the family of late which seemed to be the cause of the most discussion.

"So for now – he is Patrick's heir," she spelt it out simply.

That Sybil did not see coming and nor did Matthew thought Mary as she looked as him, doubting he was that good of a liar.

"Only for now. I am sure that is not going to be the case for long," James said in a manner which set his daughter in laws teeth on edge at the nerve of the implication.

Yes, they'd have a baby but truly she saw no need to discuss it with the family en masse.

"Well- what a turn up for the books," Matthew said at last.

"I'll say," James agreed.

The silence was beginning to drag on for too long and if there was one thing in the world which Cora Crawley hated it was an awkward silence.

"Well now we are all even more pleased you have to come to see us,. _Cousin_ Matthew."

"Here, here," Sybil agreed with her whole heart and gave thanks for her mother once more.

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	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hi all thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I have edited this chapter using Grammarly, so please let me know how this chapter reads comparatively to the earlier ones – thank you for the tip, Anon : )**

 **Chapter 8**

Patrick was beginning to wish he had just gone down for dinner instead of waiting for his wife. It was clear he was yet to be forgiven for his sins earlier in the day. How very typical that on the day Sybil was not getting ready with her sister, Mary and himself were at odds.

This was not the married life he desired for them.

Since he had come into the room, his wife had said very little to him but had continued to focus all conversation which she did have on Anna. The lady maids knew something was wrong as she always did. To try and keep the peace, she responded to her mistress as and when she was called to do so but wished more than anything not to be caught in the middle between Patrick and Mary.

It was not a good place to be.

At last, he could stand it no longer.

"Mary," he began. At that very moment, there was a knock on the door and he did not know if he was relieved at this turn of events or not.

He decided not so when he saw it was his father walking in.

"Are you both ready to go down?" he asked.

"You sound quite impatient," Mary noted as Anna helped her with her jewellery. "Are you looking forward to dinner?" she asked her father in law, though she did not imagine he would be.

"I am anxious to get it over with. Then Robert can get that fortune hunter out of our house and then we do not have to see him again."

"I don't think that is quite fair." Patrick sighed.

"Well, I am sure Mary agrees with me," James said shortly. "She is a sensible girl."

She was almost glad he had said that just so she had the pleasure of proving him wrong. Of course, there was the disadvantage that to disagree with James she had to by default agree with Patrick, but she had bigger fish to fry.

"I am sorry to disappoint you, but I do not agree at all."

She could still see Matthew's face in her mind when he had found out the truth… no, she did not believe him to be a fortune hunter at all. And if he was one, then an English Abbey where the first daughter of the house had already married the heir would be a pretty poor place to look. He would have to be the worst fortune hunter in the world.

"You do surprise me. It is not like you to allow yourself to be taken for a fool."

Mary saw Anna's expression in the mirror. It was quite clear what she thought about what he had just said and if Anna knew her mistress at all which she did, she knew it was not going to end well for Mister James.

"I am not – but apparently rather than just letting yourself be taken in by one, you have chosen to play the fool!"

Patrick sighed for this was the last turn of events which he had wanted to take – he did not want to be caught between his father and his wife. It was clear if there was ever an uneasy alliance between them it was now over. He knew in his heart the last reason that Mary was ever going to spare James was for him.

As for Mary, the sad thing which came out of all of this for her was the fact was she knew she was going to have to be kind to Matthew after all.

She had wanted to dislike him for the way she had felt he had seemed to come between her and Patrick before he had so much as got there, but now she saw if she was going to get up James's nose as much as she could, then she was going to have to get along with Matthew.

Pity.

"Mary –"

"He is a guest in this house and he has got the good sense to like Sybil. I am not going to have any guest of hers come into this house and be insulted as you seem to be trying to insult him."

She wondered if she would stick up for Patrick so much. What a pity – she did appear to like Matthew more than him already, she thought ironically…

It couldn't be helped. With that, Anna put her necklace on and she felt as if she was ready to go.

"Now let's go down for dinner shall we – I am famished."

The two men looked at one another. Patrick cursed his father for coming in just as he was trying to make good with his wife and James found he was cursing his daughter in law who seemed to have so ably put his son under her spell.

By the time the two of them were doing staring at each other, Mary had left the room and was on her way to dinner, ready to put the whole thing behind her whether they were or not.

X x x

Dinner was just as talkative as tea had been and Mary found it was all beginning to give her somewhat of a headache but at the same time, she was eagle-eyed to try and see whether all of this was coming from Matthew or Sybil. But as it was, she was sure it was truly a mutual attraction which she would have been able to predict. Her sister was not one to be taken in and by the end of dinner if there was one word which she thought she was able to use got describe Matthew it was genuine. At tea, she had been determined not to like him for the trouble which his visit had brought to her and Patrick earlier… but all of a sudden it was hard to dislike him and if that was an attitude which bothered her Cousin James and it was clear to her that it was – then all the better.

It occurred to her halfway through the night that if she was going to try and forgive Matthew for the sins which he was oblivious to, she might want to try and consider doing the same for her husband.

She did not need to be told early on he had been trying to put things right between them and she did not need to be told in her own right, she could be rather trying as well. It was not all on him – not all of the time.

If this marriage was going to work – and they did _have_ to make it work then she had to forgive him these sins.

It was rather easy to do when she could see how much effort Patrick was putting in for Sybil. Whereas she had not spoken to Matthew much, it seemed Patrick was trying to make up for her and James.

"I was wondering if you had any plans for Cousin Matthew while he was here," said Patrick to Sybil over dinner. He was careful not to catch his father's eyes at that moment for he knew James was the person around the dinner table most likely to object to the endearment for Matthew. Asides from his great aunt.

"I was going to let Matthew make his own mind up," said Sybil and her grandmother nodded.

"Quite right. I am sure 'Cousin' Matthew is more than capable of making plans for himself."

It was obvious that Violet was far from approving of all of this.

"Nonsense, Great Aunt Violet. He is our part of the world, which we know best. Therefore we should schedule his every minute."

Cora and Robert both laughed approvingly at Patrick's enthusiasm.

"I should be most grateful if you did."

"Well, I was going to suggest a walk in the morning – Mary, Sybil what do you think?" Patrick encouraged.

Mary nodded while Sybil smiled approvingly.

"What a lovely idea," the youngest Crawley sister said approvingly – it did appear they had a plan.

"And Edith must go to," Cora added.

"Why yes – that'd be lovely," Patrick beamed at his cousin who seemed to have shrunk away from him of late.

She murmured something non-committal so as to not seem rude, but in his heart, he knew she did not wish to come.

He returned to his newest cousin to begin a discussion of Yorkshire and Manchester, of the benefits and disadvantages of both city and country living.

It was clear nothing was going to stop Matthew and Patrick from getting on famously that weekend – Patrick would not allow it. Mary had to say that did not come as a surprise to her as Patrick had been the same ever since they had been young. It had been a rare day there was another boy at Downton and Patrick had had to spend his entire childhood surrounded by girls. Thus on an odd day that there was another boy around, he had always been as excited as he was on Christmas Day.

The young Mary had resented the joy in male companionship Patrick had found as once more it was another reminder of what a disappointment she had been when she had come out the womb a girl.

But now that she was married and her parents had seen she could be useful in securing the families future, she found it did not concern her in the same way that it once did.

In fact, she was glad the two of them was finding a friend in each other. That could be useful _if_ Matthew and Sybil turned out to be serious.

At the end of the night, the Patrick and Mary walked up the stairs together as was expected of them and Mary realised she did not want to sleep on this argument – here was there chance to make friends again before they went to sleep and she was not going to miss it.

"Why don't you come into my room for a moment," she invited her husband before he went straight to his own.

"Very well," Patrick agreed, following her. He was slightly surprised at the offer but pleased none the less.

Mary turned to face him once they were in the room and said words which did not come easily to her.

"I want to say sorry to you today, I think I behaved very badly to you before Matthew arrived. And to Sybil, after he did but I will make friends with her again tomorrow. First I wish to make sure we are friends."

Patrick looked at his wife with a soft smile. He knew there were those who thought her cold but there was a lot more to her than that and anyone who did not see that was missing out as far as he was concerned.

"Of course we are friends." He was not going to prolong any row which did not need to be prolonged.

"All the same – Patrick I –"

"Darling, please do not worry."

He had used that term of endearment when the two of them had been on honeymoon but not so much since they had got back...

Just then it was a very welcome reminder of the happy time they had had when they had been away.

"I thought you stuck up very nobly for Mr. Crawley- well, Cousin Matthew as I suppose we must get used to calling him." She said approvingly.

"You do not mind walking with him and Sybil tomorrow?"

"Not at all. As you said, it will be a good chance to get to know him better. You rather saved the day at dinner."

"And Papa nearly spoiled it for us all –"

"Not without a bit of help from Granny – they do like to cause a gloom," she commented. If one of the felt unhappy, they would make damn well sure they whole family did.

"Well – we must set a sunnier scene," he shrugged which earned him a nod of approval from his wife.

Now they were once more friends, he felt the need to explain himself.

"Please do not think I intended to upset you earlier, Mary – it is just I have so missed you of late, which is ridiculous when we live in the same house."

She agreed – it was ridiculous, but perhaps not in the same way as he meant.

Therefore she was thrilled when Anna knocked. The last thing which she wanted was for them to get into this now.

"Milady, are you ready for me?"

"I think I am. Patrick, we'll talk about this some other time. I am rather tired tonight."

Patrick gathered himself, for he knew what was going to be expected of him now and it was not to make a scene in front of Anna. And he would not risk losing Mary's favour when he had just regained it.

"Of course – sleep well," he added as he kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight, my darling," she replied with a smile as he withdrew from her room.

Once the door was shut, Mary's shoulders dropped and she sat at her vanity.

"What a day," she commented to Anna. What a trying day indeed…

"I couldn't agree more, milady."

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	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you all for reading and reviewing!**

 **Chapter 9**

The morning after the night before, Mary found herself outside Sybil's room. The day before was now in the past, thank god. She had gone from deciding she was going to take against Matthew to liking him. Due to the way that James had acted, she had been forced to be on his side if only to annoy Cousin James.

At least it was decided. She was going to support Matthew and through doing that she was going to be able to support Sybil, which she liked – that was a bonus. She did enjoy her and her darling being on the same side.

She knocked on the door and was called in.

"Darling, I wanted to talk to you before we go on the walk."

Anna, having been sent to Lady Sybil, was in the last stages of the easy job of making the youngest Miss Crawley look presentable.

"What is it?" there was no anger in the voice of her younger sister as she turned to her with a smile on her face.

"I wanted to say sorry to you if I was rude to Matthew yesterday."

Sybil nodded – she had half been expecting that and on another day she would have let her aggravation with her sister be a little more obvious. But she did not want anything to ruin this weekend, so she was the last one to contribute to any tensions.

But she was not getting away that easily.

"If you are, do you not think you should be saying this to Matthew himself?"

Mary knew she had a point whether she liked it or not.

"Maybe. And I will."

"Just be nice to him on the walk is all I ask."

"I will be as nice as nice can be." There would be no repeat performances.

Sybil nodded. That was what she wanted.

"Good. Do you like him?" Sybil so wanted Mary to like him.

Mary thought of her very cold answer to a similar question on the day before.

She was not going to give the same one now.

"When I get to know him I am sure I will like him. Give me time, my darling."

That seemed to be enough for Sybil thankfully.

"Come on now. We do not want to keep them waiting. You look lovely, doesn't she, Anna?"

"Very nice milady." the housemaid beamed at the two young ladies, who were both in rather sunny moods. Hopefully, that boded well for the day ahead.

X x x

Edith liked Matthew well enough, she thought as she came down the stairs. She could see what had attracted Sybil to him for it was just like her sister to want to bring someone who was so normal into their family and she too thought they could do with a bit more of the real world in the Crawley clan from time to time. She believed Sybil had done right to bring him there.

But she did not want to go on the walk…

As much as she liked Matthew… she did not think she was going to be too sorry when the time for him to go came.

He was pleasant, but she always found there was so much hassle in the house when people came to stay and she thought she could do without it.

She was beginning to feel herself after the wedding now – at least some days.

That day when she had got up she had thought about Matthew and Sybil and mused on how it was all going to end.

Then she had rung Anna to come and do her hair and she had had a cup of tea while she did so, before she went back to breakfast and it was blissful and it was not until she had got to the bottom of the stairs that she had thought about Patrick so much as once which felt a relief and a treat to her.

She could not remain in love with him.

As much as part of her would love to become a Miss Havisham, to put on Mary's wedding dress and to mourn the loss of her love forever she knew in her heart that was no way to live.

And whilst Matthew's visit had been so what of an inconvenience to her at times, it had been useful in so much as it had reminded her that whether she wished it to or not, life was going to go on. The wedding day, in one sense or another, had felt as if it was the end of the world to her.

But she was beginning to know better.

There were other men out there for Sybil and hopefully for her. And there was going to come a day when she asked one of them to come and stay.

And though Patrick would be a hole in her heart forever, nothing was going to change what she was thought bravely. For that day at least - she was going to _try_ to let him go.

She knew tomorrow she could wake up and find herself utterly unwilling to do that and desperate to find a way for the two of them.

But if she was having a brave day then she was going to enjoy it.

She walked into the library, intending to find a new novel to read when she came across her mother.

"You do not look as if you are dressed for walking Edith."

Oh, no….

"No, Mama – I thought I would let the couples go together."

"Forgive me but I was not aware Matthew and Sybil were engaged already." her mother said blinking. "It is entirely inappropriate for them to walk with Patrick and Mary as if they were."

"But Mama," Edith began to protest.

"Please, for the sake of your sister's reputation, go and put your boots on."

Edith wished there was going to be a way around this but her mother did appear in a stubborn American mood.

She sighed and turned, leaving the room.

So caught up had she been with her mother Edith had not had a lot of chance to notice her father was at his desk, with Isis at his feet.

"Truly, my dear – Mrs Bennet has nothing on you today," Robert commented, leaving Cora smiling as he returned to his papers…

And so even though it was against one of their wills, the five young Crawleys went for a walk.

If Edith had to be there, then she was going to make sure she did not enjoy herself as that was just what her mother wanted; she thought to herself so she hung back and let the rest of them get on with it.

She did not want to talk to Sybil about how lovely Matthew was and she did not want to fight with Mary about anything that day for she was not sure if she had the strength. As she was, Edith thought as her mood went downwards, the middle daughter and unattached, she was sure she was of no interest to matter what so ever to Matthew– better to leave him to get to know Sybil and Mary.

It was the eldest of her two sisters who engaged him for the first half of the walk.

Patrick had monopolised Sybil almost instantly so that this was the case. It was time to make friends.

Even though it meant she had to rebel against her natural sensibilities, Mary spent the first half of their walk making good on her promise to her sister. Really she did not know how it was Sybil wrapped her round her little finger. Only for her would she say sorry to a man she barely knew half of her said. The other half reminded her it was a good habit to say sorry when you were in the wrong.

"If I was cold towards you yesterday I do apologize. I had a lot on my mind when you arrived and if I made it an at all uncomfortable experience, coming here for the first time, then I am sorry for that."

"Not at all, Lady Mary, you have no need to be sorry."

He did not know her life and so he knew he was in no place to sit in judgement of her.

And everyone had days when they were better than others.

"Well, I am, all the same."

"In that case apology accepted."

"And please, call me Cousin Mary – or even just plain Mary."

He nodded, wondering if anything about the women next to him was plain. She seemed rather complex. Nevertheless, now they could move on, he thought to himself, which was what he really wanted to do.

"Are you enjoying your stay with us, _Cousin_ Matthew?"

"I am – it has certainly been full of surprises," he had not known how closely they were related, though he was glad it was not so closely as to interfere with anything he did not want interfered with. "And it is a lovely place," Matthew commented to Mary – it must have been a picturesque place to grow up, though he could not imagine doing so. With a smile, she mused she had better give him a heads up.

"It would be better for you if Cousin James did not hear you talk like that."

"So, I was right – he does have a problem with me being here."

He had got that vibe ever since he had arrived but he had wanted to think he was wrong – after all, James was a relative of Sybil's so there was no way as far as he was concerned that he could be all bad, but he was beginning to learn that these Crawley's he was visiting were not all as nice as pie. But Mary was kinder than he had thought her when the two of them had first met. He had hoped the same would be said of James.

"I think Cousin James has a problem with anyone who tries to be too happy for too long." Mary confided in him.

Matthew grimaced. He had met a few of them in his time.

"I shall watch myself."

"I can't help thinking that is a good idea – but in this case, not just when it comes to Cousin James. I love my sister very much Matthew – I beg you not to hurt her."

And then she left the casually veiled threat unsaid for she was quite sure that if he hurt her sister then she was going to find ways too hurt him. She might not be a man but she had her ways and she was going to ensure there were many doors in society which were no longer going to open to him if he hurt her darling.

That was not the way to go about making a successful career for yourself as far as she was concerned.

Matthew looked at her and nodded for he did understand.

"I enjoy Sybil's company very much – we care for each other but it goes no further than that," for now, "and if I am ever so lucky that it does go further, then I will be mindful of my luck."

She nodded. "And likewise if this does not come to anything through her choice, then you must not hold it against her – she is very young and to be contrary is every women's right."

"I wouldn't dare."

Of that she was glad and she hoped it was true… she thought him kind but they had only just met – but it would be difficult to know him well enough as to whether he would or would not hold it against her yet.

"Good – I am sorry to be so sharp –"

"But she is young and you love her. I do understand," he said with what she hoped was true sincerity. "And if I may say so, I think her very lucky to have you as a sister." it wasn't said or meant patronisingly – that she could see.

He spoke it as the truth.

"Why yes, she is," Mary agreed.

They walked in silence for a moment, enjoying the view and the birdsong.

x x x

"Does she approve?"

"I couldn't possibly tell you that."

"Patrick please –"

"Where would be the fun in that?"

He would not admit to her it was because he barely knew himself, but Patrick enjoyed the look on Sybil's face.

If there was one thing that could be said about his relationship with Sybil, which was different from the ones he had with her sisters, it was that it was easy. He couldn't figure out who he was meant to be with Mary half the time and there was something distant about Edith these days, which saddened him as they had been so close. He turned his head to see her trailing behind them.

He wouldn't have said he was that close to Sybil, but nor would he describe the two of them distant. If he had ever had a younger sister it was her.

"I am sure she will – he is a very nice chap."

"I want to thank you for your efforts with Matthew."

"It's no effort at all, Sybil."

"Nevertheless, if anyone has championed Matthew-."

"It's you." he cut in, looking at her animated face. Really, it was quite lovely to see.

"I just want everyone to approve."

"Not everyone will approve of everything all the time, my dear. Sometimes, you have to pick the battles worth fighting."

"There speaks the voice of experience?"

"If I had to give you one piece of advice, it is that not even happily ever after is easy. But once you're there," as he had been, standing at the altar, "you have every chance of a safe crossing, with a fair wind, calm seas and a favourable wind." and a bit of effort.

"It is the getting there which I fear will be harder for me than it was for you." After all, everyone had wanted his match.

Little did she know, it was the bit that came after which really mattered he mused. But she was young and feeling a passion for the first time.

He'd rather let her enjoy that than sink the ship before it had run aground.

 _Please review!_


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing guys! If I do not get another chapter up before (which I hope I will?) I hope you all have lovely Christmases!

 **Chapter 10**

While the children were out on their walk, all Cora had wanted to know was what was going on and who was talking to who and what was going on exactly.

Robert, on the other hand, had got on with his work, looking at the estate ledgers and did not seem to care so much, a position which she did not think she was ever going to understand as long as she lived.

"Do you not care that-"

"That Matthew could be transferring his affection from one of our daughters to the other as we speak? No, my dear, I can't say that is something which I relish and want to know the answer too," the look which she sent him said she thought he was being a spoilsport and did not like to hear what her plan was in such plain language. She was still hoping that something was going to come of this for Edith.

But when he saw them coming up the hill, she knew things had not gone well as she could see it had not gone along to her plan at all, as Mary and Patrick were walking together, Matthew was engaged with Sybil and Edith was walking behind all of them.

Damn.

Cora wished it was enough to hear them laughing as they came through the doorway but it was not.

Nevertheless, as they came back into the hall, she was the first one to greet them.

"And how was the walk?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Well it cleared away a few cobwebs," said Mary. She felt much more herself than she had done the day before, that was for sure.

"You should have joined us, mama, it is a lovely day," added Sybil.

"Oh, I would not have wanted to interrupt your fun," she smiled at them all.

"We did have fun," her youngest confirmed.

"And now I think it is time for us to wash up for luncheon."

Mary beamed and together her and Sybil headed up the staircase, chatting together as they went, as close as ever.

"And Edith did you have an enjoyable time, my darling?" asked Cora as all of the others headed upstairs.

"Not as good of a time I would have had if I had had the chance to sit down with my book," she said to her mother.

She knew that was not what she wanted to hear, but she was just going to have to get used to that.

"Do you want to talk to me about anything, my dear? You do not seem as if you are yourself of late."

"It was true for a while I felt down but I am beginning to feel better. I do not wish to discuss it though." The two of them had had their conversation in her room, so Edith was sure her mother understood though she had chosen to be obtuse more than once of late.

But talking about it again – all that was going to do was bring it all back up again for her and that was the last thing that she wanted.

Cora sighed. If Edith was not willing to discuss what was trouble her and was saying she was feeling better then she did not understand why she was not taking the hints which she was giving her.

And now she had met Matthew she ever surer the two of them were going to be able to find a bit of common ground between them if they tried.

Edith turned to head upstairs.

"Do try to engage Matthew in conversation tonight – it will help to make him feel at home here."

"For the life of me I can't work out why you are so bothered about me when we all know this weekend is about Sybil," Edith said to Cora.

"Well, it is not all about her."

"It is certainly not about me."

But for once in her life, it did feel to Edith as if her mother was trying very hard to make it so. If was the 'why' of it she did not understand….

X x x

Dinner was a relaxed event – more so than the night before though it did seem to Sybil that her grandmother and James were still doing all they could to make it otherwise.

Still, between Mary and Matthew, there was no tension and Patrick continued to be a darling in the eyes of his youngest cousin.

And that night instead of talking about how closely they were related or who owned what land, or lived in which big house, the younger set leaned towards conversations which were based around what they liked to do in London.

Sybil wished she could contribute a little more – but that was going to come in time when she came out. Still, she hoped it did not emphasise her youth too much.

"I for one do not think we go to London enough," said Mary.

"Well we could change that," offered Patrick. His wife smiled politely in his direction.

"I particularly enjoy going to hear music, above a play," Sybil told Matthew. Her mother had taken her this past year more, though only ever to a matinee.

Cora hearing this, jumped in. "Do you enjoy music, Matthew?"

"I must admit that I don't have much of an ear for music. I prefer records, and wish I could hear them more often."

"But you must hear our girls play before you go – Edith is particularly talented."

"Is she?" Mary asked her mother.

Normally, the jibe from her sister would have been what bothered her the most but at that moment, Edith felt truly self-conscious about the way her mother was trying to promote her to Mathew above Sybil.

She shrugged at her younger sister, desperate to tell her she had no idea what was going on.

"Am I?" Edith asked in a sharp tone. Something was afoot – she just had to figure out what.

And with that, she began to join the dots over the last few days.

The way in which her mother had insisted she spoke to Matthew and made him comfortable here. The way there had been no let-up. A small voice in Edith's mind had said to her it was almost as if her mother had been pushing the two of them together but now she knew it wasn't just that it seemed that way.

That was what Cora had been doing.

"I am so sorry," she had been so caught up had she been in thinking about her that Edith had not noticed her mother rise. "I have got somewhat of a headache tonight and think I will retire early." She did not think that was rude.

Dinner was very nearly at its end.

The men all stood up as the countess left the room and Edith felt as if she had been punched in the chest as everything begun to fall into place. She did not know how her mother had done what she had, but she was going to be asking her.

At the end of dinner, the Dowager lead her granddaughters out to the library and James declared he too was going home with a headache. He had thought this weekend was going to be a one-off, but his son and heir was making that less and less likely by the friendship which he was forming with Matthew. if he had to make a guess he would say Patrick was the Crawley with a crush, not Sybil.

"Thank you so much for sending Molsley too me. I must admit for a weekend's fun, a little luxury is lovely," said Matthew as he and Patrick sat with Robert after dinner.

"You would not like it all the time, I take it?" asked Robert.

"This life is nothing at all what I am used to," admitted Matthew. And he did not think he would find any of this so much fun if he did not know he was going home to a life where he could once more dress himself once more. But he would not be ungrateful while he was in this house.

"And I dare say your life is nothing like what Sybil is used too."

Matthew nodded understandingly.

For just a moment it did seem as if things were more than a little awkward. "Would you like me to go so the two of you can talk?" asked Patrick.

"Not at all – there is no need," Robert stated. "You do not have anything you wish to ask me, do you, Matthew?"

"No, I do not – the only thing I have to say to you is how grateful I am for a little break from the city. It is lovely to get the chance to know my wider family better. And I hope in the years ahead, I can continue to do so."

Robert nodded. "That is our hope too."

X x x

"Mama, I want you to know I do know what you were trying to do this weekend – it is very important to me that you know it is not going to work," said Edith.

She had seen her moment to talk to her mother when she had said she was going to bed early. It was time to have it out.

She had followed her mother straight to her room and very nearly not even knocked on the door to announce her arrival. Thank god O'Brien had not yet arrived.

"I don't know what you mean."

"What I mean is you coming into my room and talking to me about Matthew. What I am talking about is telling me to walk with him when it is clear he only has eyes for Sybil! What I mean is you wishing me to engage him especially over dinner so he might feel at home here!" Cora did not think she had ever heard so much disgust in her direction from one of her girls her and it made her feel quite sick.

She needed to take back control.

"Now listen here –" but Edith was not to be told off that night.

"At first, I did not know if you were even aware of what you were doing but now I can see it is in your eyes that you did and it makes it all the worse. How on earth could you actually want me to go through it all again?" She felt as if she was on the verge of tears. The very idea of it was horrific to her. Falling for Matthew only for him to continue to love Sybil and in the end, to have to go to their wedding and watch as they committed themselves to one another for the rest of their lives. It did not make her feel tearful so much as ill.

"Edith."

"You managed to get Mary settled and if Matthew does not work out, then in time you are going to have Sybil to play with, but the fact remains you were instrumental in ensuring that I can never be with the only man I have ever loved and now I will thank you to leave me to my own affairs mama - god knows I can do no worse on my own than with your help. Matthew cares for Sybil. I can only thank the lord I did not fall for him this weekend. Living the nightmare all over again would have been too much – I would not have survived it!"

Cora felt as if she was speechless. None of her girls had ever spoken to her in that manner before and if she had been asked she would have said none of them ever would have (but if one of them would have, she would have said it would have been Mary). But to her, it felt as if she had been given a glimpse into her child's soul. She had not thought to hear her speak with such a passion and to her shame, for the first time, Cora imagined Edith's feelings went a lot deeper than a simple crush and if she had been any type of mother she would have known that.

"Edith –"

"None of that was my intention – not the way you phrased it. I just wanted to see you happy and to give you a chance to recover from Patrick."

"Then do so – but the way you are not going to do that is by flinging the next available man who walks into this house at me. Especially not when it is clear to us all that man is besotted by Sybil. Now I will bid you good night."

And with that, Edith left the room and Cora. Her mother felt utterly ashamed of herself.

Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

**Authors Note:** Hi all – thank you so much for your lovely reviews and for just reading this fic! This chapter feels like a big one for me to post, as it, at last, brings to a close to Matthews first visit to Downton (there will indeed be more). When I first started writing this fic, I had no idea it was going to take me over 25K words to get to this point – it is going to be a bigger fic than I even realised when I started posting! I just wanted to add a note to the beginning of this chapter re: Robert and Matthew in the last chapter as I do not think I made anything as clear as I should of?

Matthew at this point is most _definitely_ interested in Sybil but I had him answer the way I did as I thought Matthew was going to want to keep everything informal for now. Sybil is still only 16, so anything more than that would be inappropriate and for now, I wanted him to be saying to Robert – 'I do like her, I do not want to hurt her and I will proceed slowly with this.'

To me, that felt the appropriate, honourable answer? But hopefully, this chapter will clear a few things up – certainly how Sybil feels, while Cora muses on her mistakes.

 **Chapter 11**

If there was one thing that was for sure Sybil thought as Anna did her hair that morning, it was that she had never had a weekend like the one she had just passed.

It had been entirely new to her and it was a sign of what was going to come to her as time went on but she knew she was not going to want any other man to stay.

She wished more than anything she was able to express already the way she felt to her family, how lucky she was to have found Matthew so early. If she had been asked right there and then, she would have proudly said to any of them that she was going to spend her whole life loving him and that was the thought in her head as she went downstairs.

Sybil had had high hopes she was going to be able to catch Matthew before he went so the two of them were going to be able to have a little talk alone. She was not sure if they were going to have to retreat to a corner of the library for a moment but in the end, the two of them came across one another in the hallway.

She was not sure if they should allow themselves to be alone as they were, but she did not know if she had the strength to walk away. And when he smiled at her she knew she did not. She didn't want to.

"Good morning," he beamed softly at her.

That morning she seemed nothing less than the sun to him.

"Good morning Matthew. How are you?"

"Well… I have just finished packing for my train." It left at eleven thirty.

She felt her heart drop for the last thing she wanted him to do was get on a train and go away from her. But she also knew he had too.

"Oh, I do hope you had an enjoyable time here – in spite of Cousin James and at times my sisters… I would hate to think you felt as if you were unwelcome!"

He beamed at the sweetness which had first attracted him to her.

"If I ever did, then you made the bitterness sweeter and I promise you I am going to remember my stay here with a fondness for a long time to come."

"And might you be persuaded to come again?" she asked coolly.

"I might indeed."

But in her heart, she knew it was time to be serious and if there was a time to declare herself, then it was now. Society said this was the place of the man and if her mother ever heard her speak as she was about to, she did not know if she was going to be more shocked or appalled, but that did not stop Sybil. She was sure the suffragettes who she had been reading about would approve of her being so vocal about what she felt and right then… it was there approval whose mattered to her.

"I know I am young Matthew, but it is very important to me you understand I know my own mind." She was sure that was enough for him to understand her.

"Yes, you are young," he admitted, "but I do not think I have ever been in any doubt of that."

If anything, he knew it more now he had met her family for he begun to understand she came from a family of strong women who were not demure - who did not sit back and drink tea if they were able to help it and that was just why he liked her.

"Good."

Then she hoped she was going to get to see him soon.

"Why don't the two of us go and get some breakfast?" she said and the two of them headed in together, to enjoy the last hour which they were going to have together.

X x x

The abbey felt as if it was a different place after Matthew left as Robert felt it always did after someone had been to stay and normal life was returning to them.

He did not know if it was right to describe Sybil as sad but she was certainly quiet for the rest of the day and seemed to be content to be on her own with her thoughts.

No doubt his youngest daughter had a lot on her mind. He could remember what Mary was like when she had been Sybil's age and he could not help thinking that Sybil was a lot more mature than her sister had been, which was just as well for she did seem to be intent on putting a lot more pressure on her self than her sister had ever had to contend with.

As for Mary herself, she too seemed a little quiet but also as if she had come to some resolutions over the weekend thought Robert. What they were he really could not say but she did seem as if she was calmer than she had been on the day which Matthew had arrived which could only be a good thing.

As for Edith, he could not help wondering if she was coming down with something, for she kept to her room for most of the day and when she did emerge she was pale.

Her getting ill was one explanation but there was another and he felt sick to think this may be the result of Cora's plan.

If they had not been a definite atmosphere between mother and daughter then he would not have wondered that but he did not think he saw his daughter so much as look at her mama that day and Cora looked as if she was heartsick.

However, he did not want to know the details.

He felt he knew quite enough.

Nevertheless, he knew they were going to have to discuss it sooner or later.

"I must say, my dear, you do seem as if you are quite down in the dumps of late," said Robert as he went into the bedroom which he shared with his wife. He knew there were those who thought men and women of their class should sleep apart, but it had been a societal rule they had never paid much attention to.

Matthew had now been gone for a few days and since he had left, the strange vibe in the house had continued. Sybil, he had almost expected it from but what alarmed him was he was sure Edith was still downcast as well. In fact, Mary seemed to be the sunny one out of his daughters right then.

"I am quite alright – I just -well the great experiment did not go as planned and now I can't help wondering if there was any wisdom in my attempts at all."

Cora could not deny that, even though when she looked back on the way she had behaved of late she had deserved every word Edith had said to her, her daughter's words had stung something within her. She had never wished to make a child of hers feel the way Edith clearly did and there was nothing which she was able to do to change that.

"Well, I cannot say I am sorry if all this Edith and Matthew business is at its ends."

He had never quite been at peace with it.

"It is just a pity that it is never going to actually lie, all the time Matthew is here visiting Sybil."

And she did not think they were able to put a stop to that now for two reasons. Firstly, they had asked him here once so there was a precedent for it and secondly because she did not _want_ to stop him coming here.

She had had to watch Edith be heartbroken of late and she did not think that Mary was in a much better condition deep down, despite the fact of her marriage.

Sybil was her one chance right then to see one of her girls happy and while she was sure there were people who would not believe her after the way she had behaved of late but that mattered to her more than she could say.

"I do not even know if we did the right thing with Patrick and Mary anymore," Cora admitted at last.

Robert cleared his throat. He was not ready to go that far. "I admit I would be happier about the two of them if there were more signs they were coming around to each other. But it is still very early days," he insisted.

"As we are Mary's parents and know her so much better than all of that, can we not be honest?" she said as she felt her eyes well up a little.

Her husband looked at her as if he did not know anything of the sort.

"There is still time."

In her heart she knew better – but if only for their sakes she could only hope he was right.

"Still when Sybil and Edith get married, I do want there to be more of a mention of love for them."

Robert and she had worked out luckily for them and for that she counted herself blessed. She knew it was not who she was as a person which had first attracted him to her. And not every marriage was a love story.

"If this is the end of you playing Mrs Bennet then I am not going to be sorry for it."

"It is – I fear I am not very good at it. And pick Mr Collins more frequently than I do Mr Darcy."

"That was not always the case." He replied playfully and if it was not for the fact she was so worried about the girls she may have allowed that moment to lead somewhere else.

Instead, she knew she had to go at least some way to making her behaviour that weekend right and a voice in her head said it was not only Edith she had done a disservice to that weekend.

She got up and left the room, and her husband, to head over the hall to her youngest daughter's room.

She only went in after she had knocked and been called in.

It was clear Sybil was surprised when she saw her mother appear in her room.

Cora knew it was not a normality for the two of them so she did not suppose she could be surprised at that.

"I am sorry to disturb you so late at night," she said to her daughter.

"Not at all, mama – what is it?"

"Darling, I wanted to say sorry for the way I was when Matthew was here. I had some silly ideas in my head, is all."

Sybil nodded for she did not want it to be anything else but that. For her mother to have thought to promote Edith for any other reason made her, Sybil, feel more than a little uncomfortable. Why would her mother do that to her?

"I do promise if we have him to stay again, I will not behave as I did again." She had rather learnt her lesson.

"I do understand mama," she had been thinking about it of late and she was sure she truly did. She hoped all she meant by that was that she had wanted Edith to have some more company.

"None of this is easy on Edith, is it?" asked Sybil.

"No, it is not."

"Mama, I do think she truly loves Patrick." And having seen Mary with him she wasn't sure she did.

"I know."

"Together we can help her mama." Sybil offered, seeing this was by no means easy on her.

"We can try, in time – but I think we must give Edith time to heal."

Sybil agreed. "But in time…" Cora nodded, agreeing.

"You do not seem yourself, mama – are you alright?"

She nodded but soon stepped forward with slightly open arms. Sybil needed no other hint.

"Oh, my darling," said Cora as she held Sybil; in her arms and she knew she had done her a terrible disservice of late. "You are my beauty and my baby and if I ever make you feel anything else then I am sorry."

"You didn't." When Matthew had been there, nothing could have made her feel less than what he thought of her. And therefore, she had felt wonderful.

X x x

Gwen Dawson did not want to stay in service her whole life. She knew that without a shadow of a doubt. She wanted a bit more than a life in service. Something different.

She had known that for a while now and during the week after Mr Matthew left she feared Mr Carson knew it as well.

It was not for nothing you got called into his office after all.

"Am I in trouble Mr Carson?"

"Have you done anything to be in trouble for?" he asked with a raised pair of eyebrows.

"Well, no, I don't believe so."

"Nor do I. I asked with here for the opposite reason. Mrs Hughes and I feel that you coped very well with Lady Edith and Lady Sybil when Anna was away. Now they have been home for quite some time we feel it is only right we get things sorted and up to standard."

"Of course, Mr Carson."

"So rather than ask externally, first we wanted to know if you were interested in the post."

"Which post-Mr Carson?"

"As Head Housemaid and a lady's maid to Lady's Edith and Sybil of course."

Her first answer was a flat out no but then she was able to hear her dad's voice in her head telling her not to be so hasty.

For one thing, if she was a Lady Maid's it was going to show she could cope with a bit more responsibility.

And then there was going to be the increase in her wages which could only be counted as a good thing. Though it was not what she wanted, this was a step up and could help her get to where she wanted to be. She had a feeling she was not going to get a chance to think about this for Mister Carson was not the sought of a man who would understand why she would turn a chance such as this down and she did not think her father would either.

So it was far better than she took the chance whilst she had it rather than lose it.

She could always give it up if she wished to in the future after all.

"Thank you, Mister Carson," said Gwen though she wished with all she had she knew why it was she wanted to cry. "I would love to take the job."

"Of course you would," he said to her in such a way that it was as if he did not quite believe her.

"Mrs Hughes will run through your new responsibilities with you and you will see more money in your pay packet. Have you any questions?"

But at that moment, Gwen did not trust herself to speak for she could not feel herself being tied together to a life she didn't want.

She left the office and took a deep breath. To her, it did feel as if it was all a little overwhelming but it would not beat her she told herself. This was but the next step.

X x x

"This is a good opportunity for you," said Anna when Gwen told her the news. The redhead had known the woman she saw as a sister was going to see it as such, though she could not help feeling a little letdown but that.

Yet, Anna would be happy with a life in service thought Gwen. She did not quite understand. That said, she knew she would not be one of those to judge her when she did break away from this life. Gwen was sure she was going to be happy for her, for going after her ambitions, no matter how distant they seemed right then.

Gwen decided a change of subject was in order, so it was lucky there was an obvious one to turn too…

The pictures had come to the village that night and Anna was set on being as good as her word.

"You know you do not have to do this just to prove a point to Thomas, don't you?" said Gwen who hated to think her friend had got her arm twisted into this.

But now she thought that was a rather mean view of what was going on.

"That is not the only reason I am doing this," Anna said as she played with her hair. She thought she was going to be able to have a bit more fun with it than she would on a normal day.

For one she wanted to go out and have a little fun.

And two she was not sure that she disliked Mr Molsley in that way. She was sure by the simple fact that she had never felt that strongly about any man. She had begun to wonder if she was ever going to get to.

But if they went out and had an enjoyable time then, it could go somewhere…

And it no longer seemed smart to her to say no because a man did not get her heart pumping straight away. There was so many varieties of happy couple.

It turned out, the night out with Mr Molsley had not been the sort a young girl dreamt of as Gwen and Anna would have suspected, but was by no means had it been a bad night thought Anna as they got back to the Abbey. He was a kind man and she felt she had been able to relax for the night. More so than when she had been in Rome. She had been with one of her own.

"I want to thank you for a lovely night."

She had needed it without knowing it.

"Not at all. Thank you so much for your company," he beamed. It had been all he had thought of for so long and he did not think he had embarrassed himself too much.

In fact, she really did seem to have had a genuinely nice time.

Well. he did not suppose he would ever feel so confident again better to bite the bullet.

He knew what he wanted but he was never going to get it if he did not ask.

"Would you like to go again?"

The first time, she had said yes due to Thomas cruelty and though she had wanted to save him from it, in an odd way it had felt as if she was being rather cruel herself. But this time it was not like that.

"I'd like that very much – we must do it again soon!"

Due to the smile on his face which appeared, she could not help but ask herself if he knew that.

"Wonderful! Just wonderful," he beamed with his heart showing on his face.

She took his arm and they made there way back to the big house. The truth was she had no idea if she truly liked him in the manner though she had good cause to believe he liked her. But she was willing to find out.

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	12. Chapter 12

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

 **Chapter 12**

It did not come as a surprise to Matthew that his mother was full questions for him about what Downton Abbey and the Crawleys were like when he got home.

It was not altogether that often that he went away for the weekend and it was even less often he went at the invitation of a young lady so he did not suppose he could rightly be frustrated by her curiosity.

He had been curious himself.

"So did you like her as much as you thought you did at your first meeting?" was his mother's first question to him.

He was the first to say he had had doubt due to her age but he found if anything on his return he liked Sybil more.

What a relief it was to be able to talk about it with an open heart. He had not felt he had not been able to do that when he had been with Sybil's family too much as he did not want to give them the wrong impression.

He didn't want to rush them into making any decisions when they were still getting to know each other really.

But there was only one answer he could give to that question and he found it was the honest one.

"I rather did – she is a charming girl – utterly charming. I think you would like her."

"If she is as lovely as you say then I hope I get to meet her and make my own mind up one day."

Matthew was sure that day was not going to be tomorrow but the idea of introducing Sybil and his mother did not displease him.

In fact, in time he was sure he would rather like to do that.

But for now it felt as if the two of them were his secret – and he wanted to indulge in that for a little while longer.

x x x

Matthews visit had changed a lot of things at Downton Abbey which he was never going to get to know about.

The one that he was going to though was that he had made Sybil a lot secure of her own mind when it came to the two of them.

If there had ever been a chance that anyone in the family was going to be able to put her off, then that time was gone even if that fact she doubted was not going to stop her cousin James from trying.

She had the wisdom, however, to know not to push it too much until the occasion of her seventeenth birthday which was not going to belong in the coming now. She was not sure if there was a big difference from sixteen to seventeen but to her, it did feel as if there was and she was quite frankly willing to try anything which stopped people from looking at her and seeing nothing but a little girl.

She had left it three days after he had left the Abbey to write to him, eager to tell him what a wonderful time she really had had when he was there, eager as she was for him to forget the time they had had.

It only took a week for him to reply and the sentiments which he conveyed were much the same as when they had met in the hallway. That he felt as she did and they had both had a lovely time.

And if it was up to him then it was not going to be too long until they met again.

All they had to do was wait for the right reason to see one another once more.

Luckily, they did not have to wait forever.

x x x

Patrick knocked on the door - even though Mary and he were getting used to each other, it still felt strange to be her bedroom.

He walked into find Anna was setting out the clothes for his wife for the day.

"Good morning, my dear." He smiled.

"Good morning," she replied as she sipped her tea. "What is that?" she said as she saw there was a letter in his hand.

"It is a note from Evelyn Napier," he told her.

He had been educated with Evelyn Napier and the two of them had become close friends. That had been somewhat put to the test when it became clear that Evelyn had been in love with Mary…

A feeling which Patrick could very well sympathise with.

He had always admired his cousin but it was only when it had all been settle he had felt he could fall for her.

But now he was also able to be kind to Evelyn. She was his wife now and both of them were honourable men. There would be no betrayal of their old friendship.

"Oh really - what does he say?"

"Only that he has been put in charge of a Mr Pamuk, an attached to the Turkish embassy the two of them are coming up to a meet at Downton. He says they are to stay at a hotel."

"Oh, I think we can improve on that."

"That's what I thought. Your mother and father not going to mind are they?"

"I shouldn't think so," she said with a shrug, for she had always got the feeling that both of them were rather fond of Evelyn.

"Well I will check with the two of them but then I think I will write and ask them to stay." He nodded. There was a pause for just a moment an then he turned to her. "I was wondering about – if maybe I should write and ask Cousin Matthew if we do have a house party."

She shrugged, "I do not see why not. It has not been that long since he was last here but I dare say Sybil will be delighted to see him. You will be high in her favour."

"I dare say."

She smiled as she realised she would quite like to see him again and then frowned for that was not her place.

"Well, again I will check with the others and then I will ask. I did like him so awfully much. Besides, it might be a good thing for him to spend a bit of time getting to know the place. Someday he may need to."

"I hope you do not mean that one day he might be made master here for he will not."

They were coming up to have been married for three months that much was true. But in the grand scheme of things that had to be no time at all. Or that was what her mother had said anyway.

"Of course not," he smiled with what could only be called a sheepish grin.

"We have not stopped trying for a child of our own yet I don't think," Mary stated almost sharply.

"My dear we have barely begun," he replied in a way that made her stomach flip more than the thought having no child at all did. In her softer moments, she could be kind to Patrick and she knew in a certain cold and unfeeling way she did love him.

But she was not having one of those moments.

When they had been on honeymoon they had enjoyed the new relationship which they had had but for Mary, since they had returned it had already turned into an annoying kind of duty and not a pleasure.

She had tried after Matthew had been here, she really had. And she was the first to say they did have moments of allyship and kinship.

But perhaps that was the most she would ever feel for her husband, beyond the love of one cousin for another.

x x x

As Patrick had known she was going to, it turned out his mother in law was only too ready to welcome the young men into her home.

She was ever one for a party and had agreed not only to Evelyn Napier and Mr Pamuk but also to Matthew coming. She remembered what she had said to Robert about trying to secure Sybil's happiness for that was not something which she was going to forget in a hurry.

And as soon as her daughter joined her for tea in the library the day after she knew her goal had been achieved.

"Due to the smile on your face, I am to understand you know Matthew is going to come and see us again."

"You are," Cora smiled at Sybil in her joy but was well aware there was something about all of this which she herself was not happy about though she was not sure what it was. Cora could not help holding back a little, even as she pushed them all onward. She did not think it was Matthew for when she had met him she truly liked him.

Did it all come down to Sybil's age maybe?

It would not be a huge surprise- she was her mother.

She had said yes as she had believed it would bring her daughter happiness and still… "Are you sure it is all not a bit much? We can wait to ask him back if you would like," but the look on her face said otherwise.

"Do you dislike Matthew?"

"Not at all, I liked him very much. What I do dislike is the idea you might be rushed into a very big decision."

Sybil shook her head. "I promise you, mama, that is not what is going on here. Matthew and I are just getting to know one another and there is nothing wrong with that. Especially now we know he is family."

"I never said there was any wrong in it, I just said I do not want you rushing into anything my love," she said as she sought to take her daughter off the defensive and try to indulge her for a moment. "What is it you would like to happen?"

That was when she clammed up for fear of being thought silly.

"Well I do not know but I do know I want to see."

And just from that sentence, her mother knew it was more than that now.

X x x

Once he had his second invite to Downton Abbey, Matthew felt as if he could do nothing but strike off the days in his diary until he could return.

When he had got home to Manchester his mother had of course been full of questions which he had been a little too eager to answer.

It had not taken her too long to work out he wanted her to know about Downton, the set up there and the people who he had met.

He had wanted to give her a flavour for it and so he had.

Then he had corresponded with Sybil and Patrick and was summoned back.

"You must be careful not to give yourself away," his mother said to him before he set off with a grin, to catch the train to Yorkshire.

"I will do my best, mother."

He did not know how much he would mind that. if he got to spend more time getting to know that spirited young women, he wasn't sure he cared at all.

X x x

Sybil found she took extra care while she was getting ready to go down that night. It did seem now as if it had been a long time since Matthew had been there.

She was looking forward to seeing him, more than she could say.

Due to a delayed train, she had not been able to see him, before the goon which had frustrated her mother than she could say.

But when she got to the bottom of the stairs he was there.

"There you are." She beamed softly.

"It is good to see you."

"How was the journey?"

The speed of it had frustrated Matthew more than he could say. If he had arrived earlier then he would have managed to squeeze a few more hours with her out of this trip than he now would. Still, he had arrived now and it could not be helped.

"Rather irritating but worth every mile," that was for sure.

She blushed for just a moment before she managed to recover herself.

"And your mother?" she asked with a smile. On the night they had met he had given her quite the portrait of her and ever since she had been quite curious to meet her. "What did she think of your coming to dinner and finding a rather extended family?"

"Oh she was rather excited by it all," he admitted in such a way that Sybil could not help but wish she had been three when he had broken the news, "she is of course very curious about you all."

"As we are curious about her. I would so very much like a chance to meet her."

"Well, I am sure we are going to be able to work something out."

She would look forward to that. Together, they walked into the drawing room.

And he was soon talking to other people, to her mother and her father but Mary could not help but notice his eyes never left her sister.

X x x

Mary was not always in the mood to go out with the hunt but by the time that Mr Napier and Mr Pamuk had arrived she very much was.

Matthew, unlike the two of them, had taken them up on the offer of spending tonight at the Abbey and so the evening before she had had to watch him and Sybil together which had unsettled her for reasons which she was fairly sure had nothing to do with the way they were together, and all to do with her own petty jealousy (for it had got to the stage that she could no deny that was what it was to herself anyway) that she was never going to feel what they did.

Her joining the hunt was met by a wide variety of reactions. Her mother appeared to be thrilled that she was going out with them and so did her husband who was going with them himself. If Cora's reaction was purely due to the fact she and Patrick were going to spend a bit of time together though, then Mary thought it was rather feeble.

And then, of course, there was Cousin James always waiting in the wings for the moment he was going to be able to be least helpful or most cruel. Once more in front of other members of the family, he had asked her if she was able to ride, with the implication being clear that if there was any chance she was pregnant then she should not. Lord only knew that all of them wanted to get the little matter of the succession sorted but at least her parents and Patrick were not going on and on about it all the time. And whenever he did bring it up, James had a knack for making it sound as if it was all her fault. It could not be down to his son they were all still waiting for the happy event to take place.

And so she did not think it was a great surprise that when she did get a chance to be in the saddle she took it. And hunting was a pursuit which both she and Patrick enjoyed so it was good for their marriage as well. She did not think she was going to be able to say too much fairer than that.

X x x

Mary watched her sister from afar as they readied for the hunt. There was no denying that Matthew was very attentive to her.

"They look quite natural together, do they not?" she heard her husband ask her.

"Yes, they do." Already she felt the need to change the subject.

"So where is our good friend, Mr Napier?" "I am right here Lady Mary," he said from behind her. Patrick was well enough able to hear the delight in his voice.

When he heard that Lady Mary Crawley had been asking after him, no doubt he thought it was his lucky day.

"So you are here at last," she said with a smile.

"We were fools not to accept your offer to say."

Mary smiled with sympathy. "What about Mr Pamuk? I gather if he takes a tumble, you will be endangering world peace."

"Don't worry about Kemal. He knows what he's doing on a horse." Evelyn brushed aside her concerns with confidence.

"Well, where is he? I can see him now…. A funny little foreigner who reeks of pomade."

"Oh, I would not say that. He is something of a dandy."

So she saw. And she would defiantly not use her original description of him as he came into view.

In a word Kamal Pamuk was beautiful. She was not sure if it was the hair of the eyes but when it came down to it, it just did not matter at all.

The overall effect was quite, quite stunning and she could not be happier that she was out riding with the hunt.

"I apologise for being so dishevelled."

"You do not look dishevelled to me."

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Patrick cleared his throat. "Why I think it is time for us to set off, my dear." He hinted.

"Well, why don't you go and impress the locals with all papa has taught you of late."

"By no account - I will ride with my wife."

"You are to be one of them one day, cousin," she reminded him as if he was terribly stupid. "I will have my champions to left and right."

Which was just what he was afraid of and exactly the way she liked it.

As the meet rode off together, Mary and her guests, for the first time in a long time, Mary forgot all about Sybil and Matthew.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"If you tell my sister, then I will denounce you as a liar, but I find it hard to pretend I much like hunting."

Matthew smiled at Sybil. That did not surprise him. She was a kind-hearted girl and if he had to admit it, it almost pleased him that she felt that way.

He was no great huntsman and he did not like to be in for the kill.

It was a way they matched.

"Well then why don't we stay at the back of the pack?" he suggested and she was quick to agree. She did not want to be in for the kill either and this way they could talk. Added to the fact they were both on placid mounts and it made sense.

They rode in silence for a while, but he could not resist breaking it if only to hear her voice.

"You must have had a lovely childhood here."

"I did. We were lucky in many ways."

"But not in all?" Matthew enquired. It was not often the two of them found themselves in a situation where they were able to talk as they were doing right then and he meant to make the most of it.

Sybil sighed before she spoke honestly. "We were and are so sheltered here. I don't know how much of a real life I know at all."

"I think you are quite harsh on yourself."

She shook her head. "I don't. I know full well papa and mama have tried to shield us from the harsher aspects of life."

They had been brought up gently. At times it felt to her as if they had been brought too gently but of course, that was easy to feel when she did not know what she had been shielded from.

He did not quite know what to say to that.

"I guess you saw a bit more of life in Manchester." She restarted the conversation for she was just as curious about his life as he was about herself.

Well, if she could be honest, then so could he.

"I guess so. I think that comes with living." He replied almost teasingly, but with an appreciation of how serious she was.

"I do envy you."

"You must not. I still went to Cambridge and I do not think I can claim to know a lot about rough living."

He had just lived a simpler life and he was in no doubt about that. he had been brought up in a pleasant, airy house even if it had been in the city.

"But a little more of life in general though, I think." She supposed in such a way it could not help but bring a smile to his face.

"And is that what you want? To know a little more about life."

"Well, I know I do not want to be a 'lady' and do nothing of any real good for anyone. I want a useful life. And if that means I want a real life- then, yes- I do."

He had not thought to find such spirit in the daughter of an Earl. Especially one who lived and grown up in a place like Downton Abbey.

A useful life. Somehow even if she did not know how she was going to get to it yet he had a feeling she was going to work it out.

And he could not help but admire it enormously.

He looked ahead to see the hunt had by the all spread out a little.

Thus, at the back of the pack, they both had a good view of what unfolded next.

X x x

She may have sent him ahead, but Patrick felt as if he spent most of the hunt trying to ride with Mary and make his way back to her if he could.

Though the hunt had met at the abbey, it was not as if he was the host and he did not want to be either. He did not care about riding up front. He wanted to ride with her.

But there did not so many chances to fall back to her.

Even Evelyn Napier appeared to be being pushed out and Kamal Pamuk was clearly taking the led as his wife's chosen champion for the day.

And so it went on, Patrick riding, always looking back for a space to fall back and ride with his wife.

Going over a bridge, he turned back and saw that Mary did not appear to be following him now. Instead, she was getting ready to go through the stream which it went over with Kamal Pamuk. And that he did not want to allow. He did not know why as he knew Mary was a good rider was so there was no fear on that score... She was having fun but he wished to be the one she was having fun with. And now there was a fire within him which said if she was going to cross it with anyone, then he wanted it to be with him – no one else.

He turned back over the bridge and determined to ride with her.

"Mary, my darling, wait!" he said as she went ahead nonetheless and crossed the stream with skill. She was no more disturbed by it than having a few drops of mud and water hit her as well as the horse.

He shook his head and followed.

Just as he went into the water, he watched his wife gallop up the bank and before he knew anything else he was on the floor… he was in fact not so much on the floor as in the water. He had gone down with such a crack. There was a blinding flash of pain and then there nothing.

X x x

"Patrick!" Mary had been surprised to turn and see husband behind her.

She had been having such a wonderful time with Kamal she had quite forgotten that he was there.

The fact he had ridden after her she found quite maddening if she was honest. The two of them were both on the hunt, what more did he want?

She dismounted and stood at the edge of the water, wondering what to do next.

His eyes were open and he was facing upwards, but if she had to guess she would say he was in quite a bit of pain…

X x x

Sybil and Matthew had not nearly got to the bridge when Patrick fell but they were in sight of it all.

"Oh lord," said Sybil as the two of them quickened their pace. "Cousin Patrick are you ok?" asked Sybil, on arrival as she jumped down off Dragon.

She did not think she had ever seen someone lose so much colour so very quickly.

Mary had come to check on her husband but she was still at the edge of the stream holding diamonds bridal as Sybil and Matthew waded through the cold, muddy water to aid her husband.

In a stroke of luck, his head had not gone under water so aside from being winded, his breathing had not been obstructed. Sybil did not have to ask to know her poor cousin did not feel very lucky at that moment. She would go as far as to say that was the last thing in the world he felt.

As for herself, she just wanted to help him and there was a voice within her saying she should be able to do that. Almost as if she knew in her heart what to do but she was yet to unlock the skill. Her hands literally itched to help.

While all of this had been going on Matthew had been a lot more help to Patrick and had sent someone back to get help from the Abbey.

He was the son of a doctor after all and it showed.

He had made a pillow for his head out of the coast he had been wearing and he was keeping Patrick calm.

Sybil snapped out of the moment and held his hand.

"Patrick!"

"My leg," he moaned. "I can't feel my leg."

And if he could then he knew it was bloody hurt.

Sybil made nonsense noises to try and keep him calm.

And then Matthew looked up at Sybil's sister who was still not coming any closer and not at all looking as if she was going to get wet for the sake of her husband.

He did try not to judge her sister too harshly for the sake of his darling Sybil.

But he could not help but think Lady Mary could be very cold.

The cause of the sound of the great crack was yet to be established but the more time went on, the more it became apparent that Patrick would survive the fall. And the more it seemed Mary was just rather irritated his fall had interrupted the afternoon…

By the time, that they were happy to move him out of the water Sybil could not help but notice how cold Patrick was physically – she hoped Mrs Patmore was going to have some hot water bottles on the go before they got back. She could give the orders when they got back - but that was not going to be. In the end, only two of the Crawley's had had their hunt cut short and they had to go back to the house.

When they finally returned to the house, the first thing Mary saw was James rushing out to meet his injured son.

"They said he fell, how is he? Is he injured?" James addressed Mary without so much as looking at her which did nothing for her mood.

"Of course. He fell." And he had not been able to do it like a normal person and get into decent position for it.

If he had not been concerned for his son, then Mary had no doubt that she would have been in for a telling off about her unfeeling attitude but happily, Patrick moaned out from the wagon.

She was sure he was trying to reassure his papa he was not that badly hurt but that was not the impression which she had got when they had loaded him in the wagon. She was sure she had heard someone say something about a broken leg- that would make sense but if it was the case then it was going to be a damned inconvenience.

This was their first summer as husband and wife and she had had plans to enjoy the privileges that bought.

She had not been intending to spend it at the abbey with her sisters.

But it was already an inconvenience she thought to herself for she should be going hell for leather over the hills with the rest of the hunt and Mr Pamuk right then. Instead, she had been forced to turn for home too soon.

Of course, they had told the rest of the party to go on with their day for there was no good in it being spoiled for everyone. Seeing no way out of it now that they were man and wife, Mary had said she would stay with him even though Sybil had been kinder to him and had been hard pushed to leave her cousin by her sister.

For Mary, her kindness had been beginning to grate for once and there was no point in all four of them going back. Mary trusted Matthew was not going to be inappropriate with her sister so when she had asked the two of them if they wanted to try and 'catch up with the hunt' they had all but bitten her arm off eventually. She had a feeling they were going to have a slow ride through the countryside and enjoy themselves utterly.

The lucky beggars.

The last time she had seen her sister she had been riding off over the hills with Matthew. Some girls got all the luck.

"Doctor Clarkson is here already." her father informed her, but she headed straight passed him.

"Carson," she said as the butler came in to view, "can you find Anna and get her to run me a bath."

She was filthy, and the silver lining was she was going to be able to get a bath and made herself utterly presentable for the evening.

"Mary do you not want to wait for news of Patrick first?" her mother urged her as she begun to wonder off.

"I am sure he is going to live," she said as she made her way to the stairs.

Mores the pity, the cruellest part of her said.

All she had wanted was a bit of fun that day and she did not know why he had had to deny her that. It was unfair.

As she turned and made her way up the stairs she saw Edith had come out to join her mother and was looking rather aghast.

When Matthew had left and she had had her fight with her mama, Edith had felt rather out of sorts for a while. She had not cared a fig about Matthew but had been hurt to the core by the thought of what her mother had done to her, and it had haunted her for some time after.

But now that did not bother her so much as she watched Patrick in pain and her sister saunter away from him.

"Do you not want to wait and see how Patrick is?" she asked again, even though her sister had just been asked the question

"What I want is to go and get clean."

And with that she made her way back to her room, leaving her sister aghast.

"Does she not care for him at all?" Edith asked as she looked at Cora for the first time in many days.

Her mother wished she was able to tell her that she had read the situation wrong and that of course, her sister cared for her husband, she loved him very much… but it was not the case.

X x x

Late that evening, Patrick found himself installed in his bedroom with the horrible feeling that it was going to be quite some time until he was going to be able to leave here under his own steam once more.

This was not the way that he had wanted the day to end.

Clarkson and his nurses had bandaged his leg up and had said he was going to come and check on him soon but he was to put no weight on his leg.

The fact was however, the chance was going to be a fine thing for he was not in any rush too.

What a fool he was.

Yet even in the situation which he found himself in he did not think it was his leg which was troubling him as much as his wife's reaction.

She had not seemed to have a lot of sympathy for him even after it had become apparent he had truly hurt himself.

He could not help comparing the two of them to Sybil and Matthew, for he knew if it had been the two of them Sybil, would not have begrudged loving and caring for him for a moment.

The door opened and Mary came in at last. She looked fine in a beautiful gown and was obviously ready to head to dinner. But all he could think of was how when they had been out in the wagon he had been so cold to him.

And he could not even deny it to himself anymore.

"I hope you are proud of yourself," she said as she stood over the bed. her tone confirmed her annoyance. "You all but ruined the hunt."

He had certainly given the guests plenty to talk about.

"I am sure no one was all that bothered."

"The thing that was frustrating me is it was so utterly avoidable. Why did you have to come back and follow me over the bridge?"

"Is it such a bad thing for a husband to want to take care of his wife?"

"When that wife is more than capable of looking after herself yes, it is!"

"For god sake will you stop punishing me for wanting to spend time with you?" he asked, the language slipping out through sheer frustration. Then he decided to turn it, "I did what I did as I wished you to stop making a show of yourself. You are not a deb anymore - you are a wife and I am not going to have you make a fool of yourself or of me," said Patrick.

"Oh I think you are capable of making yourself look like a fool all on your own," she said spitefully as she looked at him laid up in bed.

She did not know how but Patrick looked utterly cowed.

"And you are right – I am now your wife but how we are going to perform our particular duties to one another now I have no idea," she said to him, though the idea they would not have to go on as they had been for a while was quite the relief to her.

Still, she was angry that the succession was going to be delayed.

"Mary -"

"I understand you want to spend time with me but there is a place and time for everything. And the time for a man and wife to be together is not when they had guests to take care of. I did not think I was going to have to explain that to you but clearly, I do. Perhaps this is a good thing – time for you to spend reflecting on our marriage and your wife and how she will and will not be treated." The one thing she knew for sure was she was not going to let him suffocate her with his 'love'. "Now I am going to go downstairs and help mama, Edith and Sybil with our guests and enjoy dinner. I do hope you enjoy your tray."

And with that, she left the room and Patrick feeling that there was more than a bone broken in him but also a broken heart.

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	14. Chapter 14

**Author Note:** Hi all – I just wanted to thank you all so much for your responses to the last chapter. It completely blew me away when I saw this fic now has over 100 views and I did a little happy dance! I am so grateful to all of you for your reviews and you certainly gave me a lot to think about.

I wondered whether I had made Mary too cold in the last chapter – for some of you, I know that I did and that was not my intention. I love Mary and would hate to write a fic which did not do justice to her character – that could be said of every character I am writing. Having reflected though, I think I stand by what I wrote in the last chapter. This is Mary in a loveless marriage, the thing she was so careful to avoid in the show. She never married just anyone – until now. She is feeling trapped, confined, annoyed and she knows the issues of conception and making Downton safe just got a lot harder. She can't even comfort herself with her duty right now. Basically, she pissed off to the max.

As for Sybil and Matthew, I seem to be really dividing opinion and to be honest with you all as time goes on, I think this fic will continue to do that. Differing opinions are going to crop up…. I don't know if any of you guys are on Tumblr, but if you are, you may have seen that ask game about picking 500 words of a fic for the author to write a DVD commentary about? I would love to do that for this fic right now, but it would give too much away. I may well do it at the end though, as I would love to tell you I am doing A so we can get to B but I am not ready to tell you what B is yet!

 _ **A Twist of Fate**_ is all about it getting messy and complicated and there will be no easy wins. That is as much as I am prepared to say for now except that I am intensely aware at the moment that I am not going to be able to please everyone as we go down the line. As such, I am just going to have to stick with my plot, and we'll just have to see how it lands….

But I would be honoured if you would carry on with this journey with me all the same! :)

 **Chapter 14**

Mary had stopped shaking by the time that she left Patrick's room. She was well aware she had some harsh things to him but if he would only stop acting in such an idiotic manner it would be a lot easier for her not to do that.

She was determined to put the fight with Patrick and indeed everything to do with her husband out of her head. So, before she went downstairs she went back to her own room for just a moment to gather herself and found Anna was still there, tidying.

"How do I look?" she asked her maid with a sigh.

"Quite wonderful given the day you have had." She had said that before Mary had left the room to see Patrick but it did not hurt to hear it again.

Mary could not help but roll her eyes.

But she would not engage in a conversation like that. Not now.

"Do make sure you eat well tonight Anna."

She did not plan to be up until late.

When she got down, the first people who she saw were Matthew and Sybil and if she had had a way of telling her darling not to be so obvious then she would take it like a shot… but as far as she could see there wasn't. And she was not going to embarrass her. If it had been Edith, then maybe but she could and would not do it to Sybil. Not even now.

And besides, the fact was she still had much bigger fish to fry. Just because Patrick was now laid up and was going to be for a while, it did not mean that the house party was over.

That was the last thing it meant. Evelyn and Kamal were not going to be going anywhere for the night. And if what this all meant was that she got to enjoy the pleasure of their company without Patrick learning over her shoulder, that was fine by her.

Yet, of course, not everyone was going to agree with her or feel as she did.

Mary truly wished she could be spared Edith who was coming towards her then, looking as if she was ready for a fight.

"Why are you not with Patrick?" her sister asked as she got to her side.

"Because I am not the one who has broken their leg," really she did not why she had to choose right then to be as stupid as she had ever been.

"But you are his wife."

And she wished she was not with every fibre of her being. Now that she was, even that did not mean she had to be with him all the time.

"And I am going to be for a long time to come, so I am sure I can take tonight off."

She would have time to dote on him later if she had too.

Edith backed off then but only as she heard what she had not said.

That they were going to be married for a long time to come.

So she had better get used to it.

Edith shook her head and glanced at the stairs. Part of her said all she wanted to do was run and be at his side. She hated the thought of him being by himself right then… but as his sister in law, she had no doubt of the comments which she was going to draw if she went to his side. Besides, she was expected at dinner….

The door opened and James walked in.

"How is he?" Edith asked right away. She hoped she could allow herself that.

On the whole, James did not think a lot of his cousins, second daughter but just right then he did. Edith was nothing if not kind - which his daughter in law was not then. The others he could not fault. Robert and Cora had stayed with them the whole time Clarkson was with Patrick.

But Mary had shown no such care.

Ever since they had first imagined they were going to marry, he had always been so focused on Mary and Patrick and their glorious future that he now wondered if he had not been able to see what was in front of him all along.

"He is sleeping – the leg has been set but it is going to give him a great deal of pain in the days to come," she took his hand as she tried to be a comfort to him and strangely enough she was in that moment.

If Sybil looked over at that moment, Edith knew she would have strongly disapproved but she was far too caught up with Matthew as was Mary with their guests.

It hurt them both and it felt as if they were kindred spirits.

"Perhaps in the days to come you might go and spend a little time with your cousin, my dear. I know he is going to be glad of the company," said James.

"I am sure I will."

James gave a nod as he squeezed her hand.

He knew they all thought of him as a cold fish. Perhaps he had given them a reason to think so in the past but if there was one person in the world he cared about the very most then it was only natural it should be his son.

As their conversation trailed off, the door opened.

"Dinner is served," Carson announced.

Cora rose, and they made their way towards the door.

"I do hope your husband is not too seriously hurt," Edith heard Mr Pamuk say to Mary.

"He is sure to survive, so let's not worry too much." Her sister replied.

Edith did not think she would mind her sister having all the luck if she appreciated it but she didn't.

And for that reason alone, she could not bring herself to like her at all in that moment.

X x x

Mary had wished it was going to be but dinner was not the relaxed affair she had planned on, thanks to Patrick's fall. No matter what they were talking about, James and Edith seemed to work the conversation back to poor Patrick laying upstairs in pain.

Now she had had a bit of time away from him, she had to say even her hearted had softened a little, but not so much she wanted to spend too much time thinking about what had gone on.

Even her mother seemed to try and drive her to think about her husband every time she had a chance not to.

Therefore, she thanked God for Mr Pamuk.

How strange that this stranger from distant land felt to her as if he was the one who understood her best. He did not try to talk to her of her husband at all but rather the conversation between the two of them turned to art and literature and turkey.

They talked about dentists and their childhoods and trips to distant lands.

"I should love to visit Turkey one day," she admitted.

"It is very beautiful," he replied with a smile, and she could well believe it.

She remained enraptured in their conversation through dinner, and they only separated when the ladies went through.

On the re-joining of the two sexes, Mary and Mr Pamuk soon snuck off for a tour of the houses art, whilst Sybil and Matthew found themselves happily side by side once more. On seeing Mary and Pamuk sneak out they had done so as well, but they had gone to a different room.

"Poor Patrick, he had quite a day already and then to miss such a lovely dinner."

Matthew did not know what had possessed him to say that as he was sure the dinner was the last of his problems. And now he looked like a bit of a fool in front of Sybil but he had had to say something.

They were so close and with his eyes closed he could still see her as she had been that afternoon, flushed and beautiful.

"It was a shame," said Sybil with genuine sympathy, as she too thought it one of the best dinners which they had enjoyed for a long time. Or since the wedding at least. But, of course, that could have been since they had such a lovely day together. She did not know if it was selfish to think that way and maybe it was but just then looking into his eyes it was all she could think…

"I am so glad you came and - in about honesty, I do not want you to go," he had so far only been on two visits to them but she knew it was going to be a whole lot harder to see him got this time than it had been last time.

He braced himself to once more sound silly but he had to say what was in his mind if it was not going to go mad...

"And I, in all honesty, would love to dance with you right here and now even though there is no music."

She blushed deeply as she realised she very much wanted to take him up on that offer.

As of yet, they had not danced together (but she was sure they would) yet it was almost too easy for her to imagine the manner in which he would hold her. Respectfully but also very close.

"I do want to kiss you!" she had tried as hard as she could to keep it in but could no longer.

And no sooner had the request made than he knew he wanted to grant it…but the more time went on the more he knew the two of them have to bind there time until it was more appropriate.

"Will the promise of a kiss satisfy?" he asked her.

If he came again before the 27th December he knew she was going to be seventeen and he would be twenty-five and just perhaps the rest would be a bit more open to the two of them and that was what he wanted. There were times when he was well able to see that cousin Cora had not yet got her head around the fact her youngest daughter. If she needed time, then he was going to make sure she got it.

"Will a kiss on your forehead satisfy?" he asked her as he looked deep into her beautiful eyes.

There was part of him which wished he was going to dare a bit more than that but… not yet.

"If it all I can have."

He moved closer to her and pushed his lips very firmly to her forehead. He did not think he had ever met anyone as kind as she was or as beautiful. He hoped one day the two of them were going to make each other very happy, but as he drew back and saw the smile on her face he had cause to believe he already had.

X x x

Anna was pleased to get back to the servant's quarters that night.

By the sounds of the gossip in the servant's hall, Lady Mary had quite enjoyed herself that night with the Turkish diplomat. It was all any of the young maids had been able to talk about. Anna was not sure if she blamed them for he was rather good looking.

But that said, her loyalty was with Lady Mary and she liked to think she knew her better than the others.

She was sure she had appreciated his beauty but she had had a lot of other things on her mind.

And now it was the end of the day – she was not sure she had ever seen her lady so grateful for that. Or been so grateful herself.

She had just been about to go up to bed and debrief the day with Gwen when she saw Mr Molsley out of the corner of her eyes.

"How is Mr Patrick?" she asked him.

"Well, he is rather down in the dumps at no mistake. There is going to be no easy fix to his leg."

Anna was sorry to hear that for she liked Mr Patrick.

But the thing was about broken bones were they healed. She was sure he would be better, in time.

"Do tell him I am thinking of him when you see him tomorrow. I am sure Mrs Patmore is going to be making all of his favourites for him over the next few days."

"I dare say," said Mr Molsley as she begun to head for the staircase.

"How was Lady Mary tonight? I heard she was not all that kind to Mr Patrick earlier."

The young master had not said as much to him but when you were servants in the house such as they were, it was not the sort of thing which you could fail to pick up on.

"I think she has had quite a trying day," Anna replied. As she lived her life in service, she lived by the first rule of it as well and she was not going to the secrets of her mistress away, even if she did know them.

Not even to him.

"Good night!" She said to him brightly and with that, she headed upstairs, glad she had not betrayed any confidences.

She would have felt most uncomfortable if she had. And if she got her head on the pillow soon, she might yet not feel too tired when the sun came up. Six hours of uninterrupted sleep was what she needed.

Mr Molsley stood at the bottom of the stairs for just a moment looking at the place where she had been and then went to bed himself.

 _Please review!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Trigger Warning – non graphic rape._

 **Chapter 15**

Mary Crawley was pleased when she got to the end of the day and she had the chance to shut the door on her bedroom and the world out for a while.

Anna had waited up late to undress her as she had asked, but on seeing how tired her mistress was she had not tried to make a lot of chit-chats.

They were both ready to go to bed.

Thus within no time at all of being in her room, Mary was ready to get under the covers.

Yet as she soon as she got in, she found she could not relax. After attempting to read a book, she began to think of the consequences of the day.

She knew she had to be careful about what she wished for. Just the other day she had been thinking about how distasteful some aspects of her and Patrick's marriage to her were and now it turned out they were not going to be enjoying them for some time to come… Now she found herself torn between being relieved and disappointed that the whole embarrassing business was to be put on hold for a while. She did want to produce an heir, though she had feeling relations would have cooled for her and Patrick that day no matter what…

She knew she had behaved in a manner which was not fitting to her station that day and when it came to it if anyone out of her and her sisters had been, obvious it had been her. She had not done her duty to the family.

Deep down, she knew she could not go on as she had, in a rude, cruel, childish manner. She could hear her grandmother in her head telling her what a long business marriage was for people like them. There was no get out clause after all. Their only option would be to live separately in which case, they were not going to be able to do their duty to Downton. The mere idea of divorce repelled her. They would be social pariahs forever and that she would not submit herself too.

It was a lot harder to let the voices in her head rage on when she was alone in her room. The voices which had won when she had been so spiteful to her husband. Even though the Mary who had won out that day was still wide awake within her, ready to argue with every word she thought, she resolved to be kinder in the morning… to say sorry.

It had been easy to be brash and bold and cold in every other space that day. But it was not, here alone in her bedroom... she turned the page in her book and was surprised when her door opened.

Her first thought was it had to be Anna come back to collect something which she had meant to take down to be washed the next day, in which case she was going to inform her next time to leave it until the morning…

But when she looked up she saw it was not her maid.

"You must be mad!" were the first words out her mouth.

When she and Mr Pamuk had been looking at the Della Francesca, he had said things which she could only describe as suggestive but she had assumed the Turkish man was teasing her. Now she could see that was not the case, and it panicked her. She had said no downstairs, not to come and she had very much meant it.

"I am. I am in the grip of madness," he said it with such a passion that she could almost believe him.

"Please leave at once or I'll... "

"Or you'll what?"

"I'll scream."

"No you won't," he said confidently in a tone she did not like.

Her eyes darted around the room. "Well, I'll ring the bell, then."

" And who's on duty now? The hall boy? Will you really let him find a man in your bedroom? What a story."

" Do you have any idea what you're asking? I'd be ruined if they even knew we'd had this conversation, let alone if they—"

Her sister, her parents, her husband…

Mary's thoughts turned to Patrick especially, who had annoyed her so much that day.

If anyone ever found out something had happened, then she was going to be ruined but if Patrick found out – then not only was she going to be ruined but she was also going to be divorced, she was sure of it.

And in that case, she was not sure she was not going to be cast out of the family forever.

And that she was not going to be able to bare…. but there was something in her which she hated which said that night, Kamal offered her excitement she was never going to get again if she did not take it on that night. It was a voice she wished to quieten…

And if she turned him away then she might regret it forever. She had just been thinking about how she had to improve her behaviour and if she went ahead like this then she knew that was the opposite.

Yet he did have the most lovely eyes, she considered.

"Oh my darling," he said and brought her back to the present.

"I think you are just like my parents in that you think I am much more of a rebel than I actually am."

If the two of them did not think she was a rebel then she wasn't sure if she would be married already. The pair of them had been so very keen to get her settled.

But nowhere was a man in front of her who was determined to see she was unsettled.

And when Patrick had not truly been her choice she did not know why she should play the devoted wife? He did not listen to her and he did not respect her, the Mary who had dominated most of the day said to her. She had decided that earlier in the day when he had gone against her orders. And besides Mary was not going to have him think Patrick was the link to the house.

It was her – she was the daughter of the current earl and countess.

She knew in that moment there was nothing left of logic for whether she liked the arrangement or not Patrick was her father's heir.

All of these thoughts became further jumbled as she felt his soft lips on her own. They were so full and warm and nothing like what she had become accustomed to.

He was a beckon of warmth.

But there was something in her which was English and could not submit even as she lay down on the bed.

"If I am to have a child then it has to look like my husband!" Not only did it had to look like Patrick's, it had to be his.

And she may not be a woman of the world but she did not live in a box and she understood the way these things turned out too often well enough.

She was too smart to get caught out that way.

She was not going to have an illegitimate heir.

Downton deserved a lot better than that.

Suddenly a voice in her contradicted that said she did have to be a loyal wife, that nothing was going to work if she did not show Patrick more respect than this…. that the two of them did have to start listening to one another. Furthermore, it occurred to her for all her boldness in her thought she was beginning to stall…

And if she was looking to prove a point to Patrick this was not the way to go about it. There were smarter and better ways for her to do that.

"Oh, Mary – by the end of the night I promise you your womb will still be empty for your husband," Kamal said to her slowly as his lips caressed her neck.

She threw caution to the wind, let her first reaction take over momentarily, for to her he did seem as if he was a man of the world and if he said she was not going to get with child then it was good enough for her.

She pulled him close and kissed him in return.

At first, it was all as wonderfully pleasing as she had known it was going to be to be able to throw caution and duty to the wind. But it did not take her long to work out there was not going to be a lot of pleasure here for her either – not long term. Not for longer than a minute.

She wanted it to stop.

She wanted to be with a man who she loved with her whole heart and that was not Kamal Pamuk.

She had not had the time to fall in love with him and even if she had the time, then she was not sure she would have done. Evelyn, as it turned out, was right – he was rather a dandy and she had never been the type to suffer fools.

And was he any better than Patrick? She had not asked him to come here but he had come of his own accord, steaming rolling over her wishes and desires as she felt too many people had of late.

No. It was time to stop this.

"Mr Pamuk," she said but his lips were on hers and when she tried to push him away he resisted.

Fear swirled in her gut as she realised what had been put into motion was not going to stop, no matter how much she wanted it too.

"Please."

But her requests went unheeded. If only she could scream, she thought to herself, but the risk was too great, as the bastard on top of her had pointed out. Her thoughts turned to her husband, her parents to her sisters. If only one of them would come…

She should have tossed him out as soon as she arrived, thrown that caution to the window and had the faith in her family to believe her and not him. But doubt and pride had got mixed together in a way that never should have been allowed. Mary did not know much, but she did know if she could go back and do the whole day again she would. She had made so many mistakes…

"Stop."

X x x

Edith knew if her father, mother and James had their way she was not going to go back to Patrick after they had had their meal but they were not there to police her as she walked back to her room… and she could not bear the thought of him laying above them in pain while they had all dined in splendour.

If Mary was any kind of wife to him then she would not have left his side the moment he was hurt but she had always known that her sister was not going to be much of a wife to the man that she, Edith, loved. If Mary was… well, then she would have stepped aside the moment when she knew there was another woman in the world with far more desire to make him happy than herself.

But she had not and she had a feeling she was not going to. Not as long as the three of them lived.

She shook her head and walked down the corridor.

When you lived in a house as long as she had lived at the abbey, she did not think you did so without getting to know the sounds which it made. Due to the late hour, she was well enough able to hide in the shadows and watch as one of their guests made his way through the corridors, led by Barrow and into her sister's room.

For a moment she thought about going to get their father so that he could fling out Mr Pamuk for his insolence and fire Barrow for his disloyalty but then she saw there was a much bigger prize and test to be won here.

She waited for a full ten minutes outside her sister's bedroom and yet the Turk was not ejected.

No matter what did or did not go on in that room she knew it was quite, quite wrong and improper for a man to be in her sister's bedroom at all, let alone when it was so long after dark.

In that moment Edith knew she had what she needed to destroy Mary and she did not think after the way she had treated Patrick that day that anything in the world could give her greater pleasure.

Of course, it was going to be painful for their parents and of course for Sybil… but when they all saw there darling Mary for what she really was it would be worth it.

Maybe everything could turn naturally, she thought to herself.

Maybe it was not too late for her and Patrick as she had assumed it was.

Her cousin deserved a wife who was going to be loyal and loving to him and she was going to fit that bill perfectly if only she was given the chance.

Patrick… he was her original mission.

Now she was going to go to him with sad news but it might be news that made everything better in the long run.

She knocked on his door and walked in.

There was a nurse who had been left by Doctor Clarkson with him for the night but she had the sense to leave the moment when Edith walked into it for which she was grateful.

The family had to know first.

"Have you come to say goodnight?" Patrick asked from the bed.

She did not think she had ever seen him more tired which made sense after all he had been through that day.

When she had come into the room she had been so determined that she was going to call time on Mary and what she was doing that she had not thought of the manner in which she was going to break the news. Now, she saw that if she did so then she was going to have to do so gently.

Yes, it was going to hurt but in the long run, it was so much better than he knew.

Wasn't it? a small voice in her head said.

"I have come to talk to you," she said softly as she sat by his side.

"Oh Edith, I do love you for coming cousin but I do not think I am up to much talking tonight."

"All you have to do really is listen… it's about Mary."

He sighed deeply.

"Before you go on any further, I must ask that if you are going to talk about your sister, not to speak against her as I would ask and have asked in the past that she does not speak against you."

Really he loved them both but they were not children anymore and he was getting more than a little sick of the grudge match which seemed to be going on between the sisters.

Now that they were all adults it was far too much.

"But this time I think you need to listen to me, my dear Patrick."

He opened his eyes wider and shook his head.

"No – I have listened to the two of you and the way you speak ill of each other for far too long. And as much as I love you, it is too much of you to ask me to play your games tonight."

He was not pleased by Mary – she had exhausted and hurt him that day, as for some unknown reason he had hurt her. He could not handle Edith stirring anything that night as well.

He was glad when she had walked in but now he knew her purpose he wished she had not come. He did not know when they were going to stop this as he did not know what she thought was to be gained at this point – for there could be no prize at all.

"She is my wife Edith. We are not happy right now… but she is my wife. Please – just go and let me rest."

He had looked away from his cousin and when he looked back at her, he felt his heart grow heavy for there were bewildered tears in her eyes which he knew had been caused by the tone of his voice.

He knew there were far too many in their family who were cruel to Edith and in that number he had to count his father and his wife but he had always been so careful to be gentle with her. That day was where he had to draw the line and it was quite clear that startled her.

She got up as she had been asked to and made a swift exit from the room.

 _Please review!_

 **Author Note:** I have played with all of this all of the week and I can't get happy with it – I have rewatched the Mary / Pamuk scene, I have written and rewritten and I can't settle, so in a fit of madness I am posting this chapter so to get past it.

I hope you will forgive Mary's momentarily consideration of Pamuk's offer when he comes into her room. I tried to get rid of it but the chapter seemed to get messy and incomplete… this is an already married Mary who is in turmoil and it did not seem to ring true without her thinking to herself… what if? However, I agree with all of you who have said in previous reviews she was raped by Pamuk on the show – that's my view too and it is certainly what happened in this chapter. I hope I made that clear – if not, then rewrites will be happening!


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry about the delay updating! Still, here is chapter 16! Thank you all for reading and reviewing.**

 **Chapter 16**

Anna had been having a lovely night's sleep when she felt herself come around. She had been having sweet dreams and yet suddenly there was a hand over her mouth and she wanted to scream.

For a moment she had thought that she was still dreaming of nothing such as this happened to her.

It did not happen at Downton Abbey.

Once she had worked out that she was not asleep, the urge to scream intensified.

All she knew was there was someone in her and Gwen's room who was not her or Gwen and she was surprised by how unnerving she found that. But then she really opened her eyes and she was thoroughly surprised to see it was Lady Mary.

The two of them had known one another since they were children and had played together as very small girls; she liked to think she knew when there was something wrong with her Lady Mary and if there had been anything wrong with her ever, it was right then.

She was shaking.

And just like that Anna felt as if she was awake. When she had first seen her over her bed in amidst all the panic if she had been asked then Anna would have said Lady Mary Crawley had nerves of steel. But it turned out she did not.

For fear of waking Gwen, she nodded towards the door as she got out of bed.

Anna's concern could only heighten when Mary did not seem to respond to that at all. Though it was never normally something which Anna would do, she grabbed hold of Lady Mary's hand and all but pulled her out of the room.

"What is it?" Anna asked as soon as they were outside of her room.

A tear slipped down Lady Mary's check.

"I think he is dead – no, I am sure he is dead," said the young lady as she shook her head.

"Who is dead?" asked Anna. None of this made a lot of sense to her.

"Mr Pamuk,"replied Lady Mary which Anna had to say helped nothing. When Anna had seen him the night before she had to say that Kamel Pamuk looked like he was very much alive, and in very good health as well.

"How?"

"I do not know – I just woke up and I found him dead next to me."

And there could not be less about that statement which made sense.

"But, mIlady, if he was asleep then why was he next to you."

The guilt which was on Marys face the moment after she had said those words made Anna feel as if she had asked a very silly question.…

She may not be a married woman herself but she served a lady who was married and since her lady had been married she had learnt one or two things of life herself.

Anna felt as if she was going to be struck down with a feather for, once more what the lady was saying had happened did not happen in this house…

She felt as if she was unable to believe what was happening to the two of them but at the same time, there was something in her which was saying she was going to have time to not believe this was happening to her later. What she had to do right then was try and figure out what they were going to do for it was clear Lady Mary was in no state too.

"Who has as much as you to lose if this gets out?"

"Please not papa – I could not bare it."

"Then who else?"

Apparently, the thought of going to tell her mother was slightly easier for the young lady who did not protest telling her mother what had happened as she had done her father. After all, the Countess was the same sex as the two of them and even if she did find what had happened, she was not going to tell for fear of what it meant for not only Mary but her other daughters.

"I do not know if I can wake her to this news," Mary said as the two of them reached her parent's door.

If things were being done in a right and proper way then Anna knew she should get Miss O'Brien to come and open the door and wake up her ladyship, but there was not anything about any of this which the two of them could call right and proper.

So with that in mind, Anna went into the room of the Earl and Countess of Grantham. She had barely ever been in this room before and she did not think after that night she was ever going to want to do this again.

If she had had her way she would have woken the countess gently but at the end of it all, when all was said and done she did not think there was a gentle way to do this or a gentle way to break the news to her.

So with a heavy heart she went over to the countess and did the one thing she would have sworn she would never done. She did what had panicked her so much and put a hand over her mouth.

X x x

Edith woke up that morning feeling worse than she ever had before.

The previous evening she had tried to do Patrick a favour when she had gone to him for she was sure her sister had betrayed him. She did not want him to be made a fool of.

And for her trouble, she had got a tongue lashing.

There were plenty of people she would expect that from but he was not one of them.

Or, at least, he had never been one of them in the past.

So rarely were the two at odds that it made her feel quite sick that they were now and it was just when she needed him the most.

If things were very, very different then he would be the first one who she shared Mary's secret with so that she could have some advice on what to do with it. She did need counsel and yet with the words he had said to her she had felt her resolve to tell had crumbled.

Patrick was not going to listen to her and, in spite of the telling off he had given to her she still loved him and did not wish to hurt him.

Thus, in the interest of not hurting him, if she did not tell him when she found she could not tell anyone in her family

She was going to have to be mum on the whole issue for now.

But the one thing which was for sure was she was not going to forget this.

She would wait and watch and when the time was right….

X x x

Even when Kamal Pamuk had come into her room the night before Mary had known it was the wrong thing. Of course, she did. She was a married woman so to have any other man but her husband in her room quite wrong.

That was why she had asked him not come – and yet he had done anyway and now she was left with the nagging doubt in her mind. Had she told him she did not want him there? Had she said or done something which had given him the misguided impression that actually, she did want him to be there?

She did not see how she would have done that but – but still, she could not shake the thought s from her mind.

What she had not known was how-how greatly she would be punished.

From the moment she had awoken in his cold, rigid dead arms to when she had to walk down the stairs and face the world the next day, she did not get a wink of sleep. When they had been together the night before all she was able to think about was how different it had been to when she had been with Patrick but if Kamal Pamuk and the whole incident had given her anything, then it had to be a newfound appreciation for the husband who she felt she had so utterly betrayed. And they had not even been married for a year. This was not the type of wife she had wanted to be.

But all she had to do to remember who she was, was shut her eyes and throw herself back into that moment. Anna had changed the sheets that morning but for the rest of her life, she would remember the smell.

It had changed her in an instant.

Nothing could change her back. The dining room was eerily quiet as she walked into breakfast.

If there was any day to have it in bed then it was that day but after everything, all that had gone on, she did not want to be on her own. Or in her room at all.

It was there the first time she had been able to breakfast since she had been married and it also felt as if it was the first time she had been down for breakfast since she was a girl. It all looked as if it was just the same and for the life of her, she did not see how it could all be the same.

It was all different now.

"It is not often that we see you in here for breakfast these days." She heard her father say but it did seem as if none of it was real. He felt far away.

"Is it not?" she asked in response to his question in a rather monotone voice.

"Ahh – so you have been told what happened last night." her father said to her and she felt as if she was going to jump right out of her skin.

"What happened?" she asked panicked.

"Mr Pamuk was found dead in his bed."

As you well know, thought Edith across the table.

Mary felt her self-breath easy for it was all alright for then - if her father had had the whole story then he was not going to be speaking to her as he was right then.

Something else troubled her in that moment though was the expression which passed across her sister's face.

Do not be a fool – Edith knows nothing, Mary told herself for how could she?

"It is a very sad business," she nodded through a thick throat. But she had thought to come down to break fast all the same.

She did not think the others were ever going to understand why she had come down that day though for it was not as if she had an appetite, as her father commented to her as the meal went on.

"No – I am not eating a lot am I?" she admitted as she felt rather silly. How she wished Evelyn and Matthew were not there. It would be easier if it was all just family. "I think I am going to go and see Patrick," she said as she got up, only having touched her tea.

She wondered when she was going to get her appetite back even if right then she felt the answer to that was going to be never.

"He needs his rest." she heard Edith say to her tartly and she wanted nothing more than to snap back at her and tell her she was not going to dictate when she saw her husband. It was good to know that she did still have at least that fight left within her.

There was hope then.

"I think Mary is allowed to go and see her own husband when she wishes," their father stuck up for her.

Darling papa… Mary thought as she made a mental note to try and get a treat for Robert when she was next in London.

He was not always on her side but right then he was.

"Quite right." Even James' support warmed Mary right then. It had the opposite effect on Edith though. When Mary had been so horrid the night before she felt as if she and her second cousin had come to an alliance but all of a sudden that felt as if it was gone. The spell was broken.

When Mary had come to breakfast to find that nothing had changed it had been eerie for her… but now it felt as if it was heartening.

Because of the very fact, nothing had changed for the wider family, she was going to be able to get through the rest of it one way or another.

Mary found on the way to her cousin and husbands room she was nervous. She did not think she had ever been nervous around him before but that day she was and she knew in her heart it sprung from the shame of the way she had spoken to him. God only knew if they were ever going to be able to get on track or past the damage she had done to them in the future. In her heart, she knew that was really his decision.

Better get it over with, she thought as she gently knocked on the open door.

"Come in."

She reached the door and stopped for just a moment to compose herself before she put her handle on the handle and turned.

Mary went into Patrick's room quietly as if she did not want to be seen there at all which was quite right.

But she had still felt as if she had to go, even though she was sure he was going to know exactly what she had done just as he looked at her.

It was as if it was across her forehead.

She was an adulteress, she was his adulterous wife and he was never going to be able to trust her again as long as the two of them lived.

And she hated herself for it.

She knew they were not going to be a big romance but she did at least want to be his friend.

And they were cousins. They were partners in so many ways.

How differently her train of thought ran from the day before….

And he looked as if he was miserable which made nothing easier for her.

He was already so down…

The day before neither of them had been their best selves and she was the first to acknowledge he was not the only Crawley to have made a mistake. In fact, hers was the much greater. It was a sin.

Her mother was never going to look at her the same way again.

But she had not come here to pity herself.

"I wanted to come and see how you were."

It was clear that surprised him which did not surprise her when she considered her cruelty the previous day.

She had said things which there were simply no need too.

"In pain," he admitted. Usually, he would not be one for sore bones about her if he had his way but there was nothing left in him to fight it.

And if he did not have her to start with then there was no point in trying to fight for something which only one of them was after.

"I wanted to say sorry to you for the things which I said last night." For the first time since she had come into the room it was as if she had properly caught his eye.

"That is not like you."

"Yes, it is. I always say sorry when I am in the wrong – it's a habit of mine."

He was not sure if he would agree with that but he was not going to kick things off between them again. Not when it did seem as if she had come to make up.

"I was unkind to you yesterday."

He nodded as she sat by his side. This marriage was still so new to them… so maybe he could allow her to perform her wifely duties a little late, as long as she got around to them in the end.

"What did the doctor say about your leg?" she regretted not staying with him when the doctor had been here.

"Well, it is well and truly broken and is going to take some time to heal. I am afraid our first summer as a married couple in not going to be quite what we thought it would be."

She shook her head, "Do not worry about that now. We have many summers ahead of us to enjoy the season."

He nodded and thought that was true. They were both still in their twenties and though it did not feel too much like it right then, favour did grace them.

"I wonder how much any of this really matters when you think of Mr Pamuk – shut down in his very prime."

And what a prime it had been.

When he had arrived the day before she had thought he had looked as if he had been some kind of prince. How very wrong she had been.

Still, it was inevitable that Patrick did regret the unkind thoughts he had had towards the Turk the day before. He had not wanted him and his wife to be quite so close but he had not wished the poor fellow dead.

"He was, wasn't he?" she said in a manner he thought most distant. But then she turned back to him. "That is why I think we must make the most of what we've been given."

She thought for the first time she may have known what it was to be happy. But now she knew she was not going to be and that that was not for her. She could accept it and live with it but she did not think she would be able to brave and live with the scandal of what she had just done.

But her mama was not going to talk and lord knows Anna was not.

She was safe. As long as she did not crack or do anything so silly again or lose control of herself. Then they were all going to survive this…

"I do want to make you happy, cousin," Patrick said to her.

And if he had said that to her yesterday she was sure the way she had felt she would have tried to frame it as him whining.

But she did not that day…

They were going to fight in the future and they were never going to be a great love story - but happy… yes, she thought, they could try and be that.

She took his hand.

"And I you."

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 _Next –_ the fall out night before continues, and Matthew leaves once more for Manchester.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

After leaving Patrick, Mary felt as if one thing had been put right. But how long that was going to last. Nothing in this life was certain, she thought to herself. It could change so quickly. Trying to get and keep a firm grip on herself, she decided what she needed was to get a bit of air. But as she went down the stairs she saw her cousin Matthew was coming up them and she did not know why but it made her shake to see him.

He looked up at her with friendship and then she shook more.

"What a dreadful day. None of us saw this coming."

"No," and if she had it all would have been very different. If she could re-do the last twenty-four hours, then she would but there was no way to do that.

"Your father is dealing with all the arrangements, so it won't be long until it is all over."

She nodded.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked, and she shook her head. If there was anything anyone could do when she was sure she would have asked by now. But there was nothing nor would there ever be.

Ever since the day he had met he had seen Lady Mary Crawley as a person of dignity and grace and poise but just at that moment, he could see nothing but a girl who needed someone to talk too. If Sybil was around, then he would have left this to her but the last thing he knew, she was with her mother, who also seemed disturbed that morning. Even if Patrick could be there for her it would be a different case, but he could not be.

So, it fell to him.

"Why don't we go out for a walk?"

She did look as if she needed the air and he did not want to leave her on her own just then.

It occurred to Mary he really was going to kill her with kindness. And that was the one thing she could not take right then.

"I'm sorry – but no thank you."

Mary turned and ran up the stairs to her room and away from the kindness of her cousin.

Matthew shut his eyes.

So, he had done the wrong thing.

Mary felt as if she was going to be blinded by tears of sorrow and shame as she went into her room but when she got there, all she saw where the further effects of her actions and for some reason just then they brought her up short.

For she knew she was not the only one who was struggling to find a way through that day.

Anna was on her hands and knees literally clearing up her mess from the night before.

And then there was the fact the young maid and seen a dead body. That should never have happened.

Neither one of them should have had to go through that.

"Lady Mary?"

"I thought I would come and see if I could help with anything … as it is all my fault."

"Thank you, Mary, but I do believe Mr Carson and I have it in hand." How she wished they did not.

"I have put fresh bed sheets on, and picked up the biscuit jar." It had feel off her nightstand and broken the night before when they had moved Mr Pamuk.

"Thank you Anna – thank you very much."

The maid nodded and squeezed her hand. They would find a way through this – somehow or other.

X x x

If Cora felt her nerves were in shreds the day after that night she did not think anyone would blame her. When she had found out she was with child she had had all manners of ideas of what motherhood would be like, but no one had told her it would be like this. Maybe it was not meant to be. Nothing could have prepared her.

Seeing Mary walk around pale-faced did nothing for her mood.

All she could think was all of this could have so easily been avoided if only she had done what she should and got to bed on her own then so much would be different. Pamuk may be dead still but the would be no risk of a scandal for Mary.

And if it touched her then it was going to touch Edith and Sybil as well.

Then all their lives were going to be over.

So, to see her crying and red eyes was a bit too much for her.

"It is not seemly for a woman to cry this much about a man who is not her husband." She said as they sat alone in the library. She had felt calmer when Sybil had been with them for she had had to be but her younger daughter had now gone to spend time with Matthew.

Mary had known her mother was not going to be feeling all that generously towards her that day but after it all the last thing she felt she was up to.

"Mama, I -"

"Have got to pull yourself together!" if she and Anna had then the lord only knew so did Mary.

But Cora was not the one who had woken up by a corpse and not was the one who could be ruined beyond repair but it all. Yes, she had behaved atrociously the day before but –

But she regretted it now.

She looked at her mother and thought if she ever had a daughter no matter what she did she would never talk or look at her in the tone or way her own mama was looking at her.

More than anything she wished she was able to defend herself, but she knew she was not.

And she knew her mother was right. But it was all too much.

If she could she would go and confess.

But that was not an option. All she had was her mother and Anna and they were struggling to understand as it was. She was sure they were.

"All I can think of was how much life there was in him and then to wake up…."

Cora did not wish to hear any more. Not only because of the damage which she may have done to her reputation but also the damage which she had done to herself. She might not like her but she was still her baby.

"Hush now Mary – what is done is done and there is no point in going over and over it. You must simply find a way to put your best foot forward."

Cora at that moment was well aware that she sounded much more like her mother in law than she cared to but perhaps in this occasion violets attitude was the right one to have.

It might just stop them all from going under.

Mary did as she was told for once and feel silent but how she wished she was able to talk about what had happened and to make amends. But she feared due to the world which she inhabited that was never going to happen.

X x x

"I wanted to come and see you before I went back to Manchester."

"And I want to thank you for the care which you took of me yesterday," Patrick said as Matthew came into the room.

"Think nothing of it."

"But I do think something of it. I think a great deal of it – you were kind Matthew." And too often there were not enough kind people in the world.

"Did you and Sybil enjoy the rest of the day?"

"We rather did," he said as he remembered the kiss which they had shared the night before.

The two of them were beginning to be daring.

"I am glad to hear it. She is quite the nicest of the three of them you know. And the man who ends up with her is going to be a very lucky man indeed."

He had always thought Larry Gray might be the chap but now it came to it, he was almost glad that that was looking less likely.

Larry was not a kind man in the way that Matthew was and he did think Sybil deserved someone more deserving of her. Not someone who she was going to marry for the sake of convention but then that was not his cousin's style at all. Sybil was one to buck against the trends.

"Mary can be kind." Matthew returned.

He knew it. The way he had seen her that morning she had been kind. But of course, then she had not been the day before.

Then she had not been kind at all.

Patrick nodded. "Yes, she can be when it comes to it – but it does not come naturally to her as it does to Sybil."

Maybe, in that case, he should admire it more in his wife he thought, by the virtue of the fact that she had to work so hard to be kind.

But there were moments when he wished she did not have to and the day before had been one of those.

Matthew nodded for he knew that was the case.

"Sybil is – something special." He turned the conversation in a more pleasant direction.

"Only a man who can see that is worthy of her. And I know you do."

Matthew was not going to be coy about it.

"I have got some thinking to do when I get back to Manchester." He had not known he was going to feel this strongly for her so soon and he certainly had not thought he was going to be considering this already – but love was nothing at all if it was not felt or heard.

"Well, I am glad to hear it. And when you come to the right decision –"

"We shall have to see if she says yes!"

To Patrick, it did seem as if the lawyer had made up his mind but this was not the right time for such comments. He knew had to let Matthew come to it on his own but still – he would be glad to have his own heir tighter within the family.

"Safe journey back," Patrick said as the two men clapped hands.

"And a safe recovery to you. I expect to see you up and dancing on my next visit." He said to him with a smile.

"Oh, I will have this leg mended in a jiffy – you'll see."

Matthew had been about to leave the room when he turned back. He feared he was going to speak rather out of place but he could not stop himself.

"I know she was rather – ungentle - yesterday but do take care of Mary."

If only for Sybil's sake but he could not stop thinking about how she had seemed that morning.

"I do think I am going to have a bit of a job doing that but I will try," Patrick said as he wondered what had made him say that.

In later days he would regret not asking.

"See you soon, Patrick."

"Goodbye Matthew."

Matthew headed towards the door with a smile but just as he was about to exit James came into the room.

He wished anyone but he had been there.

"Matthew."

"I will see you soon Cousin James." He did not know why he annoyed him so but there was clearly something about his very existence which he disagreed with.

What he couldn't tell.

"What did he want?" James asked once he had shut the door.

"To say goodbye. Don't worry – he was not playing Richard III to my princes in the tower."

He was not quite that vulnerable yet he didn't think.

"I am very glad to hear it."

X x x

Lady Mary went to bed early that night and Anna did not think she had ever been more grateful than that.

When she had got into bed the night before she had done so with the hope she was going to get six hours rest. She had got nowhere near that, for she had been up between three and four with Lady Mary and after that, she had had no sleep at all.

It was no surprise that she had made one or two mistakes that day.

Lady Mary had gone a lot easier on her for them than Mister Carson had but then she was in possession of all the facts and Anna was sure she felt quite a bit of guilt for what she had put her threw.

The last dressing down she got that day was a little hard to stomach though and Anna found that she was in the hallway by tears of frustration.

Though she had no doubt that was hat had happened was not going to affect her in the days to come as it was Lady Mary, she had had high hopes she was going to be able to navigate this a bit easier than it had turned out she could and she was beginning to feel a little foolish.

The fact that there were footsteps behind her made her hope that even more.

"What is happening here?" a gentle voice asked and she turned to see Mr Molsley was behind her. She did not know why but she wished he was the last one to catch her in tears.

Why could it not be Gwen or Mrs Hughes?

But then she thought she would struggle to explain away the tears to her best friend even more than she would him.

"Oh, it is something of nothing – just somewhat of a difficult day."

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

He did not know if talking was going to help her but if it could then he did mean to be a sound pair of ears.

"No – no what I need to do I think is pull my socks up and get on with it." There was nothing else which she could do.

Mr Molsley looked at her in a lightly quizzical way but did not push it anymore.

"Just as long as you know I am on your side."

She had not known she had needed to hear that until he had said it. He took her hand and gave it a firm squeezed. The two friends looked one another in the eye and strangely enough, she did feel a little better than she had done a moment ago.

"Thank you," she nodded as she begun to make her way up the women's staircase, to what could only be a longer sleep than she had had the night before.

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	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 _Dear Lady Mary,_

 _I hope you do not think me presumptuous in writing to you but I just wanted to write a quick note to enquire how you were after what happened. It was a tremendous shock._

 _Between that and Patrick's fall, it turned into quite weekend. Nevertheless, you all made me feel so very welcome. Please pass along the enclosed note to your mother and my good wishes to your husband. I do hope that he is making a speedy recovery._

 _Yours sincerely._

 _Mathew Crawley._

Matthew rubbed his eyes.

The candle was burning low in his office as he got to the end of the letter. He was going to be glad when they installed electricity if they were ever going to. There was plenty going around the rumour meal about it right then.

All day he had been wondering if it was impertinent to write but now it was done, he did feel better in a way.

Of course, the business had been awful for all of them but when he recalled the way Lady Mary reacted on the staircase…. It was true he had been worried about her. It had all been so hard on her, though he was not entirely sure as to why.

More than Sybil who had been shocked but nothing more.

Still, he had done what he thought was right and that was all anyone could do.

He sealed the letter, grabbed his coat and bag and made his way out the office. He would post it on the way home.

X x x

Patrick felt an achievement as he once more managed to get down the stairs without aid.

It was something which at one time he had taken for granted but he swore when he really was well and truly back on his feet, that was not a mistake which he was going to be making again for it was, in fact, a precious gift.

He smiled with pride and wished his wife had been there to share the moment but then may be thought not so. He had shown Mary he could do it once already and as unflappable as she was, she was not going to be impressed for long.

He had thought he was on his own for a minute until he heard a noise behind him and turned to find that Edith was there.

Edith.

He had missed her. While Mary and Sybil had come to see him on a regular basis, this cousin of his who he had thought he was so close to had not.

He was not sure he could blame her when he remembered their last meeting for he had not been kind to her and he thought she was now avoiding him, for which she was blameless. He was entirely responsible for that.

But now the two of them had been thrown together and he found more than anything else in the world what he wanted to do was mend fences with her.

It was not right - the two of them being at odds.

She did not turn away from him as he had done from her that night in his room.

"You seem to be picking up speed," she said with a smile.

"I am hoping I am going to be rid of these damn sticks soon enough," he replied and wished he had no sworn. The wooden sticks in both hands were keeping him upright then.

Still, she had heard worst, one way or another. His cousins were not as protected as their father would like to think.

She continued to smile gently.

"Well from what I have just seen, that day is not going to belong in the coming."

"Pray God you are right."

And she had prayed for him even when she had not been seeing him.

Every Sunday in church she had prayed he was going to heal as fast as he could, for she did not need to be told how much he hated being lain up. He was going to want to be on the move again as soon as he could be and now he was - so she guessed their prays had been answered.

"I wanted to say sorry to you –" he said as he looked at her. "The way I spoke to you that night you came into my room, it was unforgivable I know."

"It is not up to you to decide what I can and cannot forgive," she said with a soft smile.

She had not told him she missed him as she did not feel he deserved it but miss him she had and she wanted them to be friends once more, more than she was able to say.

"Still I do not feel easy about it."

And her silence told him all he needed to know about the way she felt about it.

"You can tell me you know – whatever it was you wanted to tell me about Mary that night. I was in a foul mood but I am listening now I swear."

In all honesty, he did not want to hear it still for Mary was his wife, but it was going to ease his conscience if he was kind to Edith and he did so want them to be friends once more. This might be the easiest way to get to that.

She was taken aback by that for she had begun to get used to keeping Mary's secret to herself.

And there had been a time when her greatest desire had been to run and to tell him all she knew – but she knew to tell him no... it had been too long. She had become tainted by her silence and for that, she hated her elder sister even more.

She shook her head.

"You know it was so insignificant I can't even remember it now." he was just back on his feet and she was not going to be the one to push him back over when the truth was he needed the love and the support of his family.

And to tell him what she knew was only going to cause him heartache….

There was going to be a time she had no doubt when Mary's world was going to crumble.

And when it did she was going to be there to see it.

But she could not let _his world_ crumble to make that happen.

"See, I know what the two of you girls are like." He said with a smile which was utterly forced.

She did not think it was like him to be so patronising but at that moment he reminded her so much of her father. He thought that he knew the two of them but in actual fact, he knew nothing at all of them and with the blinkered view which he clearly liked having, he was never going to know the two of them either.

X x x

Summer was nothing at all like Patrick had thought it was going to be.

He had wanted his first as a married man to be one full of travel and fun.

In truth, he had wanted it to be the one in which he wooed his wife but it had turned out not to be.

It was a summer of him which was spent hobbling away at the abbey.

He read books, he did puzzles and was annoyed by his ability – or their lack of – to do his marital duty. There would be no baby Crawley in the spring.

As for his wife, it was also a frustrating summer. They should have been going to house parties every other weekend and quite enjoying themselves.

But yet she was stuck at home with Sybil and Edith. She did not know why she had bothered getting married at all if it was all to go on as before.

The most surprising thing to happen to her was a letter from her cousin Matthew.

He was quite kind to write of course but he would not be kind if he knew the truth. If he knew she had not been married a year and now she was an adulteress. If any of them know she was sure she would be turned out.

And so on top of her boredom, there was the guilt. In order to try and keep herself from getting too bored, she wrote letters. To the girls and now the wives she had come out with and also to Matthew regularly.

He was, she was learning, always good for a bit of gossip from Manchester.

When he had first come she had had her prejudices against him it was true. He was still not what or who she would have chosen for Sybil. Her sister deserved so much more than a man like that.

But he was a good man and she was glad to make a friend of her cousin. Which of course pleased Sybil.

Summer turned to autumn and still, Patrick did not seem to be able to do much more than hobble about.

If Mary was honest – and she always was as much as she could be – she was annoyed at him, though now she made a concerted effort not to show it. Now as much as she could she made sure they were the sort of thoughts which she had in the solitary hours when she was alone.

After her husband had had his fall, the two of them had said they were going to make one another happy and by hook or by crook that was something which she was going to stick too. Because her own fall had been so much worse and as of yet she was only too aware they had a very long road ahead of them. When she had been thinking of getting married it had not been like this – so real… and grown up.

But it was and now she was determined to rise to the challenge.

X x x

"Gwen, can I talk to you?"

Gwen had been in the servant's hall having five minutes to herself when she heard Mr Joesph Molsley come in and ask her that question.

It was not often during the week that he sought her out for conversation especially – it was far more common that he would do that to Anna who she knew he was growing so fond of.

When the two of them had had their first outing she had thought nothing of significance was going to come out, in fact, she was sure that Anna was just sticking it to Thomas but it had gone on too long now. She was beginning to think the two of them genuinely cared for one another.

"Of course." She nodded.

"It's about Anna."

"Of course."

"Well, you see the thing is – what I mean to say, it is a little bit…" The way he stumbled on gave her a good idea that whatever it was about it was not going to be about their work.

"Why don't I pour you a cup of tea – and the two of us can have a chat about it," offered Gwen.

Joseph Molsley nodded. To him, that sounded very agreeable.

"Thank you."

"Now you just take your time."

"What I need to know from you Gwen – what I would like to ask - is has Anna mentioned anything about the two of us becoming more serious? On a more permanent basis."

Gwen felt her heart go quite tight for her friend at the thought of what he was asking.

"I do not know quite what you mean." She had to fish a little to be sure of what he was asking.

Before she gave him her answer about her friend she had to be very sure of his intentions.

"What I mean Gwen is if I were to ask Anna, a very important question….would she say ' I do or I don't'," he said as he put his cards on the table.

It was not something which he did too often and he had to say it was rather exhilarating.

As for her, the one thing she knew she was going to have to tell Anna about this conversation.

Though the two of them had been heading out more and more, the last thing Anna had mentioned to her was marriage to Mr Molsley and she had no idea if that was something which she was going to want.

She had been about to say as much to him when someone else appeared at the doorframe to the servant halls.

"Gwen, when I gave you your promotion, did I say anything to you about extended ta breaks?" asked Mr Carson.

"No Mr Carson."

"So, is there not something you could better find to fill your time with than ideal gossip?"

The young ladies maid was still not entirely sure that this was something that she wanted – until she remembered the size of her typewriter fund.

It was not going to belong in the coming at all now.

"Yes, Mr Carson."

She got up and scurried away with an apologetic look at Mr Molsley.

She was gladder than ever she shared a room with Anna at that moment – it was going to make finding a private moment to fill her in on what had just taken place so much easier.

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	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing :)**

 **Chapter 19**

It was no word of a lie that Anna felt as if she could be knocked down by a feather when Gwen told her that night what Mr Molsley had said to her. She had known the two of them had been getting on well, for while she had felt it, but there was no way her thoughts had been racing ahead to the two of them getting married.

But now she came to think of it, he was a little older than she was. Of course, he was going to be on the lookout for a wife to make a home with.

She just did not see herself as a likely candidate.

But apparently, he did. This was a situation which she was going to have to deal with at one point or another.

She sat on the bed.

"So, what are you going to say to him when he asks?" Said Gwen.

"I do not know," admitted Anna.

She had never had a marriage proposal before. And certainly not from a man who in all honesty she had never considered as a husband. It was all happening so quickly.

"But you are not going to say yes are you?" asked Gwen. She had to say she had never really seen the two of them as a match. It was not exactly that she thought Anna could do better for herself for she knew that Mr Molsley was a good man and he had a solid job.

No, in many ways he could make some lass the ideal husband.

But the two of them had always hoped there might be something more of romance for the two of them when the time was right and try as she might she could not think of Mr Molsley as romantic. Not when it came to her best friend.

"I don't know," Anna said to her.

She was not sure if yes would be the wrong or the right answer.

Yes, it was true that at some point in her life she did want to be a wife. As much as she loved Lady Mary she did not want to stay as her maid forever.

But she did not want to marry the wrong man. She knew that for the fact. She had seen good and bad marriages and everything in between. A cold shiver ran through her.

She was going to make sure that any she was party to was a good marriage. That was the only type she was interested in.

"So, you are going to say no?" asked Gwen. It was clear as her friend had had a while to think on this and wished she had made up her mind and knew what she was going to do. Gwen herself had had plenty of time to think what Annas answer should be.

As of yet, however, the young housemaid she did not know what way she was going to turn.

"I do not know," Anna repeated more firmly. And she had a feeling she was not going to know for a while to come yet.

Try as she might to go to sleep, Anna turned over what Gwen had said to her all night that night and got no sleep at all.

It was as if Mr Molsley had asked her to be his wife already which she had to remind herself more than once he had not.

At certain times during the night, she thought it was going to much easier all round if he just did not ask her at all and she thought that was what she wanted to happen.

That if the two of them just went on as they had been that that was going to be best all round but for the life of her she did not think they were going to be able to go back to the way things had been between them now. That just was no longer possible.

X x x

In between everything else which had gone on at the abbey that summer, Sybil had been sure that her seventeenth birthday was an occasion which was going to be forgotten, or passed with little notice – it was not as if everyone did not have a lot on their plate already.

But as it approached autumn her mother did begin to drop hints about presents and a special family dinner but there was nothing in any of that which held her attention. There was only one thing which did that and it was the fact that once she was sure seventeen, she was sure it was going to be a lot harder for anyone to deny the depths of her feelings for Matthew. She was going to be a young woman and leave her girlhood behind her.

When he was here he was going to be here for her, whenever he did next come back to the abbey.

There was still something in her which said her mother had asked him here for her sister and if it was not for the fact that Edith was next in line to be married, Sybil would not have believed her mother capable.

But that was a long time ago she thought to herself. Ever since that first weekend there had been no hint that her mother was trying to set the two of them up and she got the feeling Edith was going to crush any kind of suggestion something like that should happen. She had shown no interest in Matthew.

And Cora had appeared genuinely remorseful when she had come to see her…

No, it was over she thought. The family recognised there was something between her and Matthew.

And that was a thought which pleased her.

X x x

The day after Gwen and Anna had had their little chat, Anna was fairly certain Mr Molsley was not going to ask her to marry him that specific day for it was not as if either of them was on day off and she did not think it likely he was going to ask her to be his wife when they were serving up dinner to the Grantham's.

But still, it felt to her as if she was not going to be able to really look him in the eye until she had come to a decision.

Nevertheless, as much as she could, what she did want to do was through him off the scent that said Gwen had told her what he had been planning.

She was only too aware of how awkward things could get between the two of them if that was not the case. So, she sat next to him at breakfast as she always did and gave him smiles when the two of them passed each other in the corridors –

But the longer the day went on the more she felt as if she knew that she was not going to get a chance to think clearly about the two of them until she got away for the day.

Normally if she had a problem she was going to go to Gwen or Mrs Hughes for advice… yet that day She was not sure if their advice was going to quite cut it.

"Have you any nice plans for your day off?" Mr Molsley had asked her the night before and she felt as if she had great cause to wonder if he was going to try and get to change her plans.

But thankfully, she had set her mind on what she was going to do the next day already.

"Yes – I have."

Thus, the following more she found herself setting off from Downton Abbey early.

All the way there she did not know if what she was doing was a good or a bad idea but at the moment it was the best she had. Her stomach churned slightly as she went on her journey which was going to lead her to only one destination.

A terrible thought crossed her mind that _he_ might be there.

Nevertheless, this was a journey which she understood she had to push on and make.

And she had a right to make it – no one – the thought of no one, was going to stop her from talking to the women she needed to most of all right then.

When she arrived, Anna came on to her mother's land quietly. She knew after everything that had gone on when she young, the two of them were not destined to be close as some mothers and daughters were. Strangely enough, since she had begun to work at Downton Abbey, she felt as if she was much more able to accept that. She had seen the way the Lady Cora was with her girls and realised she and her mother were not the only ones with complications in their relationship.

But she had always set store by her mother's advice and now she was in need of it once more. She turned the corner to the farmhouse and there her mother was in the lane….

Anna was surprised and saddened to see the ways in which her mother had changed since the two of them had last seen one another.

Therefore, she was more than happy to Anna did not think she was ever able to recall a time with her mother looked young but now she could not get away from the fact that right then she did look as if she was an old lady. Was that what time had done to her mother? The wrinkles on her face, the grey in her hair…

She cleared her throat.

Her mother raised her head.

"Now here is a sight for sore eyes and not one I see half often enough," she said as she dropped what she had been doing and walked straight towards her daughter.

Complicated their relationship was always going to be but Anna did not think her mother had ever not loved. The young housemaid stepped into the arms which were waiting for her.

"What is this – have you finally got sick of working up at that big house and decided to come home to your old Ma?" May Smith asked.

Anna did not know why but at that moment she felt her eyes fill up with tears. It was not like her.

"Oh, my love it can't be that bad no matter what it is."

"I need to talk to you, mum, I really need to talk to you." She said to her at last.

"Well come on then, my chicken, I am not going to let anyone upset you like this." Her mothering instincts kicked in as she decided no matter what it too she was going to get to the bottom of this for her daughter.

She steered her daughter towards the house and Anna froze. She needed this she was sure that she did but there were other things that she needed like a hole in her head.

She looked at her mother and she knew she did not need to ask.

May Smith swallowed.

"He is not here my love – no one is. Your wee sister is out playing so it is just the two of us."

That was what her daughter needed.

She knew enough of Anna to know that much.

The two of them headed into the house and to the spartan kitchen which May Smith called her own.

Anna did not think it was anything like the one which Beryl Patmore reigned over but no doubt it did the job for her and her sister.

Her mother had always been a lady of simple tastes.

Before the two of them went on with the real cause of this interview, Anna felt as if she had to ask.

"Where is he ma?" May looked quite pale as she picked up the kettle.

"Gone –" she said with a shake of her head. "I should – well, there are many things I have done wrong in my life and what I did to you were among the worst. I tried to write to you and tell you he was no longer here so many times but-but I never seemed to find the right words."

Anna wanted to know so much more and in time she knew she was going to know more – but right then it wasn't important.

"The words must be hard to find."

"No harder than the ones you did manage to find when you told me what was going on..."

Her mother said as she turned to her and Anna could see there was a new-found respect for her in her eyes.

Anna wondered what had changed.

"It was very wrong of me – very wrong to act as I did. But none of that, not now. I want to know why you were crying, love." She said as she begun to make the tea.

"Well, I do not know where to start if I am honest."

"It is not your job is it?" May asked. Whilst she knew there was a part of her daughter which wished she had not had to leave the family home when she had been so young, she knew there was another part of her which loved her job at the Abbey and she was proud of her for that.

She would not like to hear that was in any danger.

"Oh no it is not that - works been going well – I have been made a lady's maid now mum," she said to her.

"Oh, I know – when I read that in your last letter my girl, I was so proud of you – proud as punch." Her mother sighed. "Well – if it is not about work, then why the tears?"

"I have – I have been courting."

At that sentence, May had to admit she felt her heart drop a little. Maybe it was due to the bad experiences she herself had had but she was not sure if she wanted Anna to be getting involved with anyone right then – she was quite sure she did not in fact for she wanted her daughter to focus on the chance which she had given herself at Downton Abbey. She was still so young.

But she had not had just bad experience – the time she had had with her girl's father was a time which she cherished and she knew in her heart her Anna deserved that time – that time to be properly happy as much as any lass did.

May took her daughter's hand.

"He has not hurt you, my love, has he?" her mother asked.

Anna quickly shook her head for though she knew her mother did not know Mr Moleley personally or anything she did not want her to think he was capable of anything that her stepfather was.

That was not the kind of man he was at all.

"No – but he has told one of the girls at the abbey that he wants to ask for my hand in marriage. And mum, I do not know what to do at all," she said as she looked at her pleadingly – as if she was asking her to tell her what to do.

"I must say, Anna, I do not think it is very often you come to me for advice about anything… let alone about something as important as this." said her mother as she looked at her with suspicion.

Anna had to admit she had a point.

If it was any less important she felt sure within in herself that she would have gone and asked Mrs Hughes for advice but this was on the subject of her marriage and therefore the advice which she took on it was going to be the most important she ever got.

She did not think it was such a great surprise that she wanted that advice to come from her own mother.

"You are my mother – and no matter what has gone on between the two of us in the past – I need you now. What do you think I should do?"

May paused before speaking.

"I take it if you are having these types of wobbles, you are not head over heels in love with the man?"

"I do not know if I have had time to work that out yet."

But her mother was long enough in the tooth to know matters such as those did not need working out.

"Well, I do not suppose that is the be all and end all of the manners. Is he a good man – and is he kind to you?"

Anna nodded. She did not think there were too many men in the world who could show her more consideration.

"Well, I do not have to tell you after everything that that can be a rare blessing in a man."

"So - so do you think I should say yes to him?"

"Can he keep you and give you and any barns you have together safe – in a good home?" her mother ignored the question which she had asked her.

Anna had no doubts about that. "I think he could." He had a good job and he was steady… yes, he was always going to see them right.

May trusted her daughter's word – and that was enough for her.

"Well - then yes. Yes, those are two are enough for a happy marriage – and they give you security, my love. Which is nothing to be scoffed at – nothing at all."

She wanted to see her safe and settled.

May reached over and touched her daughter's cheek, caressing it for just a moment.

Anna looked back at her mother with gratitude, but could not help but wonder why if she set so much store by her mother's advice, why it had left her feeling so flat. Nevertheless, it had given her resolve at the same time, and on the way back to the abbey, she began to feel surer of her decision.

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	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Sybil's seventeenth birthday arrived as many other days in Downton Abbey did. She had breakfast with her sister Edith, her father and Patrick who all made a fuss over her, and then her mother and sister Mary came downstairs a little earlier than they normally did, all with smiles on her face.

"Happy birthday, my darling," Robert had said when she had gone into the dining room for the first meal of the day.

As ever when it was one of his girl's birthday, the earl felt a little older than he had done the day before but he always found it happened the very most when it was with Sybil's birthday.

She was his baby after all.

"Thank you papa!" she said as she got her breakfast.

"How does it feel to be almost grown and out at last?" asked Patrick.

Sybil turned to her cousin with a smile.

"Very good!"

Robert did not know if he liked that or not. If he had had his way she would have stayed young for some time to come yet.

"She still has a year to go yet!" he reminded his little cousin. But as they were all only too aware, a year was not so long as it sounded.

Afternoon tea that day was, of course, birthday tea for Sybil. James and Violet came over for it, with presents and cards but when the post arrived, Cora got the distinct impression that there was only going to be one card that her daughter cared about getting that day.

 _Matthew's._

She was not sure if Robert was going to approve of the joy which their daughter showed on getting it, so she waited until the end of Sybil's birthday tea to give it to her when only the two of them remained.

"I will leave you to open these on your own," said Cora with an understanding smile, kissing her daughter's cheek. "Happy birthday Sybil."

"Thank you mama!" said Sybil as she traced the handwriting she now knew by heart.

As Cora walked out of the drawing room, Sybil could not help but be grateful to her mother for that. Even though he was not there it felt to her, in her romantic state, that the two of them were getting a moment to themselves, no matter how far away the man she loved was.

Matthew sent her the most beautiful little card and in addition to a small book of poetry. It was so thoughtful of him…

"What is it you have got there?" asked Mary as she came into the drawing room to see Sybil was there on her own. She had forgotten her shawl when she had left and had returned to get it. Anna seemed preoccupied and as if she had enough on her plate these days.

All in all, it did not feel as if it was very often she got to see her darling younger sister on her own these days, so she had to say she was more than glad to take every chance which she might get it. Especially on her birthday, though she got a distinct impression now Sybil had been glad to have a moment alone before she had arrived.

"It is a book of poetry which Matthew sent me for my birthday."

Mary felt as if she had to give it to Matthew - he did appear to know how to woo a young girl, though when that young girl was Sybil, Mary had to say she did not think that Matthew was going to have to try very hard.

She was half in love with him already.

"I take it hesent you a card to go with it?"

"He did - I only wish he could have been here for my birthday."

"All in good time, little sister," her sister replied to her with a good-humoured smile.

Sybil paused before she spoke again. "I asked you once if you liked Matthew."

Mary smiled for she was well able to see where this was going.

"You did."

"And do you - you must know by now?"

Mary sighed for she had thought the two of them were passed all of this but then she could see in her sister's eyes that it mattered to her.

So, she tried to keep it simple. "Yes, I do like Matthew,"

She did not know if she liked him as a husband for her sister, but she knew she liked him as a friend of the family and as one for herself. Matthew Crawley she now knew was a good man.

So yes, she liked him.

"Oh, I can't tell you what that means to me," smile Sybil. "I think it is the best birthday present I have received."

"I have to say I am surprised my good opinion means so much to you –" Mary admitted.

She had a rather low opinion of her judgement right then.

"You are my big sister – why should I not want your good opinion of Matthew? Or your good opinion in general?"

All of them were going to be around one another for so long to come after all.

Sybil wanted them all to get along.

Mary sometimes wished she could see herself through Sybil's eyes. How much more she would like herself if she could do that.

"Happy birthday, my darling!"

X x x

It was as the weather begun to turn colder that Mr Molsley approached Anna and asked her how she would feel about going for tea on their next day off.

They had had a lovely summer getting to know one another, but by now he felt as if he had screwed himself up to it… he was ready to ask the question.

If two people had a chance to make one another happy that was what they should do he thought to himself and so he made plans for the two of them to go to the tea rooms in York. It was not the most romantic setting which he was able to think of, but he could no longer contain himself.

It was time….

It would not be the first time the two of them had spent their day off together, but she did not need to ask why she felt as if that day was going to carry more weight for the two of them. She knew - she had known what was coming for a long time.

On her way back from her mother's that day she had weighed up the advice she had been given and thought long and hard about the type of life which she wanted - as well as the type of life which was realistic for her.

Those two things were not always one and the same.

She put on her best blouse and skirt - they had once upon a time been Lady Mary's, but they had belonged to her when she had been an unmarried woman and were slightly too girlish for her ladyship nowadays.

Somehow, they seemed perfect for Anna that day.

"You look lovely," said Gwen slightly sadly before Anna left, squeezing her friends hand and looking at her in such a way that Anna did not want to allow her meaning to register.

She shook it off. She had come to her decision long ago now and she knew what it was going to be.

"Oh - you look beautiful!" Mr Molsley said as he met her at the back door. He said it in a rather different way to Gwen and it bolstered the young lady's feelings.

"Shall we?" she asked and he nodded enthusiastically, offering his arm. The two of them made their way down into the village, talking about nothing in particular, but comfortably as they did so.

They could both feel it - there would be no element of surprise.

Today was indeed the day.

On the way to York, the sky which had been bright blue begun to cloud over and they reached the tea shop just in time to miss the beginning of the rain.

"If Mrs Patmore was here I have a feeling she would say that is nothing less than we deserve for leaving the Abbey without an umbrella this time of year!"

On arriving at the tea shop Mr Molsley said Anna was to order whichever cake she wished and then they ordered tea for two. But the easy conversation which they had had on the way to the tea shop seemed to dry up somewhat as they sat facing one another.

Anna was waiting Mr Molsley knew and before he had left, Mr Molsley's father had made it quite clear that he was not to keep the young lady waiting. It would be too much.

So, he took a deep breath and faced up to the fact his moment had come.

He reached over the table and took her hand in his own for courage and stroked his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand.

He really did care for her, thought Anna.

"Anna, I know you are going to say but I still need to ask you this. We are both too long – no that is not right at all." He was saying what he wanted to but in the worse way he could, and she deserved better.

"Let me start again - in the time we have had together I have come to care for you very much – more and more."

She smiled – now that was a better beginning.

"I think – no, I k _now_ we could make one another very happy – and so I guess that is what I am asking you. To let us make one another happy."

He had so much hope in his eyes.

It began to silence the doubts which she knew deep down she did still have – and would have.

"I know I am not Mr Crawley – but my wage is good enough – we could have a village in the cottage and children and - and happiness Anna," he smiled – "You deserve happiness more than anyone I have ever met."

He could only hope that the words he was saying were going to be enough – he wanted them to be enough. The two of them would be comfortable and happy – Anna was such a nice girl, he had always thought so. And now he wanted her for his wife.

"Mr Molsley, what you have said is so lovely. I do not think I can give you an answer until you have asked me a question."

He nodded slowly until he digested her meaning.

"Oh, of course… sorry! Anna Smith, will you marry me?"

A million thoughts ran around her head right then but when it came down to it Anna felt as if they all centred on her mother and the life she had had to live due to the fact she had married a bad man – and Mr Molsley was many things, but he was not bad and she was sure she was going to be safe with him.

"Yes – yes, I will marry you."

x x x

The old soldier had not been having a good day - the bottle which had 'helped' him in the past was beginning to look attractive to him once more so he had decided to try and distract himself from that line of thought for he was sure down that way could only lay ruin. He had been there before – he did not want to go back.

Therefore, he walked around the town centre, trying to ignore the public houses, allowing himself to be drawn instead to the tea rooms and little shops. He could go and purchase a new hat, he thought for he was beginning to need one.

Had he still been in his previous employment then he was sure that would have been a very easy decision for him to make but as it was, with his finances looking a little less than healthy, he supposed it would be better to hold on to his money… just in case.

It was then a couple caught his eye – for a moment he had no idea why until he realised the gentlemen was Joseph Molsley, a man who he had served with in the past, both in war and peacetime.

A fine man he was too…. For a moment he thought he would call out and get his attention for it would be lovely to have a discussion with a friendly face, and that showed how lonely he was getting for he was not one for small talk.

But he held his tongue. Mr Molsley seemed to be rather enjoying himself, and the young lady he was with was no doubt rather pretty, though her face was obscured by the hat which was keeping the rain off her face.

Neither of the sweethearts clocked or acknowledge John Bates as they made their way to the bus stop, to go back to the Abbey, and he walked down the street in the rain, wondering what life would bring to him next.

X x x

If everyone had been a bit happier for them, then Anna was sure that she could settle a bit easier that night.

But when she and Mr Molsley had returned to the abbey with their happy news, Mr Carson had raised his bushy brows and Gwen had been rather surprised and Thomas – of all people – had whispered in her ear that she did not have to go this far if she was trying to prove some kind of point to him. Anna had wanted to kill the lot of them.

Only Mrs Hughes had held her tongue and gone back to her sitting room without saying much at all, which had had just the same effect as all of the other reactions and it had unnerved her more than she felt she was able to say.

Anna knew in part she was being drawn to the housekeeper like a moth to the flame. If she had been happy for her then she would have said – she was not. But Anna wanted to know why.

She knocked on the door of Mrs Hughes sitting room and was called in and was saddened to see her suspicions were right for Mrs Hughes looked as if she wished she had come as much as somewhere in her heart she herself did.

"What do you think of the decision which I have made Mrs Hughes?" Anna asked at last. When she had known she had had a marriage proposal on the way she had been convinced it was her mother who she should go to for advice and the truth was she was glad she had.

She did not know why it was that now she had made her choice that the opinion of the housekeeper gained some additional weight to her. She wanted Mrs Hughes to be happy for her.

"Well, I am not going to lie – I think all you young girls are in far too much of a rush to get married nowadays." There was so much of life to see before the settled down and it was not as if they were like the young ladies of the house with parents breathing down their necks waiting for them to be wed.

No, if there was an advantage to them being the class that they were it had to be that they did have a bit more freedom.

But there was more than that.

"Anna –" for a moment she wondered if she should ask the young girl to sit down but then she thought better of it for this was not an interview she wished to go on with any longer than it strictly had to.

"I do not know if they this going to surprise you and I do not think I would blame you if it did… but when I was a young girl I also had a proposal of marriage made to me. I turned it down – whether or not I regretted it from time to time is by the by – but it was because – because, and I rarely think it is helpful to talk like this for all the good it does – but my dear, there is a difference between love and being in love."

And if she believed Anna was the latter and not the former then she had a feeling all of this was going to be rather easier.

But she did not.

Elsie sighed for she did not think she had ever spoken to a housemaid like this and now she knew why – it was not easy. But she was her charge and she had come to her to have her tell her what she thought so that was what she was going to do.

"In the end, it was the right choice for me and I am not saying that automatically makes it the right one for you – but I just wish you had considered more."

"But I did consider – and I happy with my choice."

And if Anna had met the housekeeper eyes when she had said those words, Elsie may have believed her. But she didn't.

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 _Coming up next…. The Crawleys plan a family Christmas…_


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry for the delay in posting this all – it's been another really busy month! Thank you all for reading and reviewing!**

 **Chapter 21**

With Sybil's birthday over and done with once more, Mary Crawley was sure all of them could begin to think of the next big event of their yearly calendar – and it was not about any one of them particularly.

It was Christmas.

She had always enjoyed the holiday and the fun which it brought to Downton Abbey and she did not see why that was going to be any different that year – in fact, she meant to ensure it was not any different.

They had had there trying to times that year, her family – but the next year was going to be better she said to herself, for things had to be different, and the very least which they could do was see it out with a bang.

"Have you begun to think about Christmas at all mama?" she said one morning as she sought Cora out in her room before the two of them had gone downstairs to greet the rest of the family for the day.

Thankfully as time had gone on things between the two of them had got a little easier. She dared to say things were not going to be the way things were before the – the incident – ever again but she did have a little hope now that that was not all her mother saw when she looked at her.

And she did think these little chats between the two of them helped.

And in thinking that, she was right. Cora was pleased to see her daughter taking an interest in the general running of the abbey. It showed her commitment to her marriage to Patrick and to their future, she thought to herself, and all of that could only be a good thing.

"Not yet but I dare say I should have done but I have not – have you had any thoughts on it?" She was not going to hog the reins of the countess from Mary. She was the incumbent but that also meant she was a teacher. And teach she intended to do.

May shrugged. "Not particularly – I was just wondering who was going to be in attendance."

Cora sighed. "Well us, and James and Granny of course – but perhaps we should cast the net a little wider this year."

Neither of them really needed Cora to clarify what she meant but she supposed she would.

"I do think your sister was very sorry to not have Matthew here on her big day – I think it is maybe high time we caved to what does seem to be inevitable and ask him to come here for Christmas."

The thing was, it was not as if Sybil had gone on at her, trying to get Matthew there – she had been a little more reserved and as such, Cora felt almost as if she wanted him to be there with her more and certainly felt as if she would be happier to ask him. Sybil was maturing.

Mary was about to say if they kept asking him here then they were going to make everything a lot more inevitable – but she held her tongue.

Sybil and Matthew cared for one another – if she had had that with a man she did not think she would forgive interference with that.

Besides she did not know what reason she would have to stop a friend being here with her over the most festive time of the year…

"We would have to ask his mother as well – we couldn't leave her out."

"Well then," said Cora –"maybe a bigger family Christmas is just what we should have."

After all, they had only just discovered the family connection – and it would be rather nice to have a few new faces around the table as they played the game thought Mary.

"Maybe it is."

X x x

Thus Mary was rather looking forward to Christmas when it came close. It was going to be a distraction and she badly wanted one of those. And what Sybil wanted was indeed for Matthew was to come to the abbey for the season and she would have his mother come with him – when her sister and her mother had told her of their plan she had been very in favour of it.

From what Sybil had been told Mary, the mother did sound as if she was quite, quite formidable and interesting and so naturally the idea of her coming was one which pleased her a lot, in fact, it did so a lot more than her grandmother thought was seemly.

The dowager was quick to remind Mary that her youngest sister was yet to meet Matthew's mother, so her recommendation was not one which should be taken to heart.

Violet had never been one to invite someone into the family prematurely and when it came to Matthew Crawley, it felt as if that was exactly what they were doing. It was not as if there was anything yet settled between Matthew and Sybil so there was no need to rush into anything by her estimation.

Mary could only hope for Sybil's sake that if she did come, she was not going to be too spiky with Mrs Isobel Crawley but if she was it was going to give her, Mary, a great evening.

"Please just when the two of them are here think of your granddaughter's happiness," pleaded Mary as she got up, put on her gloves and prepared herself for what she knew was going to be a rather chilly walk back to the abbey.

She had gone to the dowager house for tea. This time it had been her mother who had asked her to go into battle for Sybil as Cora had felt that if Violet was likely to listen to either of them on this matter then it was going to be her very English granddaughter over her American daughter in law, though the truth was Mary did not know how much of an effect she had had.

"Oh I will – but given her tender age do we really believe Sybil truly knows what will make her happy yet?" asked her grandmother in such a way that meant there could only be one possible answer.

Mary smiled -almost but not quite sadly – she had been older than Sybil when she had thought she did know what was going to make her happy. When Sybil was sure this young, maybe it meant she truly was on to something.

"It could just be the fact I am her big sister and I want her to be happy – but yet, I think we can."

She had watched Sybil grow up and she knew her to be brave and sensible and out of the three of them, she would say that Sybil knew herself the best out of their generation of Crawley sisters and that was nothing at all to be scoffed at, though she had a feeling if she tried to tell her grandmother that then one way or another she _was_ going to be scoffed at.

"I will see you at church Granny," Mary said as she gave her grandmother a dutiful kiss on the cheek and made her way out into the cold. She would miss the summer whilst it was gone, though she would not say no to a crisp white layer of snow for Christmas day.

One could only hope.

On her return to the abbey, Mr Carson and the newly engaged Anna were waiting for her in the hallway. Mary had quite frankly been surprised when she had heard that she was going to marry Molsley, but then, different horses for different courses.

If the two of them truly thought they could make one another happy, then she wished the two of them good luck.

"Shall I get you some tea, my lady, to warm you up?" asked Anna and Mary nodded.

"That would be lovely."

"Anything for me in there?" Mary asked as she saw that Mr Carson had the post. A nice gossipy letter from Matthew on the dramas of Manchester would be just the thing to read with her tea and she was sure that there was a letter from Matthew in Mr Carson's hands. Alas, she thought – it was addressed to Miss 'S' Crawley.

No office politics for her that day.

"But there is one for you, milord," Carson said as Robert came in to view with Isis on his heels. The two of them had just been heading into the library.

"Perfect timing," Robert said with a nod. He was planning to be spending the next hour or so dealing with some correspondence. He could deal with this that very day, hopefully.

"What is it?" his daughter asked with a smile.

Robert shook his head – the handwriting was a new one on him. "I have no idea – but I will do soon!" he said as he headed into the library.

X x x

 _Dear Lord Grantham,_

 _I fear it is going to be considered an impertinence, me writing to you as I am about to and if my son knew what I was going to put into this letter, I am sure he would be nothing short of furious with me._

 _But nevertheless, I am a mother and as a mother, I know when something needs to be said._

 _I never knew my son as happy as he was when he was in your employ – not for a long time. After a string of bad luck, I believe we were both happy to think that luck had changed._

 _He was a different man to who he had before. He had a chance to make good – therefore, you would well be able to imagine the distress I felt when I found out he had lost his job at the Abbey. My sorrow was all the more profound as I never was told why he lost the job or the offence which he caused._

 _Which is why I am writing to you - I understand it is not conventional for me to write this letter and my son is a grown man. Maybe it would be best if I held my tongue – or my pen as it were…_

 _But I do need to know. What did my son do wrong – and is there a way we can make it right?_

 _John is working hard, but I fear for his health in so many ways and I do not believe he did anything wrong. Please, enlighten me if this is not so._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Mrs Bates._

X x x

There was a part of Robert which he knew was cowardly, which wished he had not opened the letter which Carson had given to him. He had had no idea who had been writing to him thus he had been more than a little curious when he had opened it.

But he did not know a person alive who liked to get bad news and he did no different. And this was bad news. After all he and Bates had been through, he did care for him so he did not like to hear he was down on his luck, nor that his mother was so worried about him.

None of it went easy with him.

He knew as soon as he answered it however that he was not going to let this plea fall on deaf ears and that there was going to be no ignoring it. He was not even going to bother trying to do that. No almost before he had got to the end of the letter he had decided what he was going to do. He knew in his heart.

The day Bates had gone there had been a part of Robert which had wanted to fetch him back and tell him that he had been wrong – to ask his old comrade to forgive him and for them to carry on as they were. As it was he had been too much of a coward to do that.

But he knew he was not going to be again, he thought after Thomas had got him dressed. He was not a patch of Bates and the truth was he didn't feel as at ease with him.

He wanted the valet he had always wanted back. And as he went into his wife's room he knew he was ready to do battle for him.

"You look lovely," he said as he caught sight of her in the vanity mirror.

"Thank you, darling," his wife replied. "Are you ready to go down?"

"I will be in a moment – I just need to discuss something with you first."

"Whats that?"

"Cora, if I am honest I never quite felt easy about the way I ended things with Bates. After all, we went through together, all I can say is that I owed that man a lot more loyalty than I showed to him in his time here."

Cora turned to him with surprise in her eyes. The truth was all that Bates business had happened so long ago now that she had quite forgotten about that.

"I see – why are you bringing this up now?"

"Because I am going to write to him, say sorry – and ask him to return to work at Downton."

Core felt suddenly exasperated.

"Darling, if he was not up to the job why would we pay him to do it?"

The more he thought on it, the more Robert knew that he had never been the one to fault his work and so he came to understand the man he had fought side by side with _had_ been able to do the job and he, Robert, had been the one who was found wanting. All he could think was he had had a chance to stop this from happening and instead he had just let it happen. Well, that was going to be the day the story change and he did not give a damn how peculiar people found it.

Thomas and Miss O'Brien and even on this occasion Mr Carson could go hang. They were the ones who have said Bates was not what he should have been when he was. They were wrong and he was not about to leave an old friend out in the cold when he could help him instead - that was not his style at all.

"But that is just the thing – I do think he was up to the job…"

In fact, at the time that he was working with him, he did not think he had a single complaint.

"Then why did you not say so at the time?" his wife asked.

He could see what she was thinking – that the two of them were employers and if the two of them were not giving the right jobs to the right people, then there was a very little point in the abbey. What they were there for was to support the locals and the county.

"I think I felt –" he did not wish to say coyed. He was after all an earl and he was meant to be the head of this household.

Nevertheless, he was ashamed to think that was how he had felt – and he truly had let it affect his judgement of the situation – "as if to listen to the opinion of others was the right thing to do. But now - now I think I should have kept my own counsel on the matter."

"Well if he does come back then this is it – we can't keep messing around with the man's life Robert. If he comes back he stays."

"I agree – and if he comes back, stay he will!"

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	22. Chapter 22

**Author Note –** I know you are all going to be bored of hearing how sorry I am about there being a gap between updates – it doesn't make it less true though! I cant believe months have gone by (again?!) That said, I have my best reasons to date…

Between chapters 21 and 22 I have had my hen do, been a bridesmaid, got married myself, been on honeymoon and got a promotion at work. So I have had lots of fun and been super busy but life does seem to be settling down now so – watch this space. I sincerely hope to get back to more regular updates now!

Further apologies if there is not enough action in this chapter given the waiting time for it but I am building towards the Christmas period now – drama is coming, I promise….

 **Chapter 22**

It was not often John Bates would go back if he felt he had moved on. But when he got the call to go back to Downton Abbey it was like a dream.

He wanted it more than anything for if he had had his way, he would never have left. He could settle there, he knew it for a fact and in spite of it all, that was still what he wanted.

He could deal with Miss O'Brian and Thomas. If he could live at the abbey without them then he would prefer to but beggars could not be choosers.

The letter recalling him had been full of apologies and entreaties.

But the word was enough for since he had left the Abbey, he had been working in a public house which had not been easy for him. He had himself only been sober for a year and far too many of the patrons said he could get one for himself.

But as of yet he had not given into temptation. Now he would not have too, though he could not think anyone would blame him if he did, for he could not think of anywhere less like the Abbey than where he was staying then.

He had taken the room as it was a ceiling over his head but that ceiling dripped a lot.

It was cold damp and small and even if a letter had not yet come from York then he knew he would not have stayed here long. He would have to home to his mothers.

Or anywhere.

Just to stay sober.

For the room was very much beginning to remind him of his prison cell and for that reason alone it was time to go - he did not want to go back. He had to move forward.

And some how he did not see going back to the abbey as a return – a return would be drinking all day long.

But if he went to the abbey then he was going to be able to build a career for himself and he did not think he had done that since he had been an army man.

But that was about to change.

The day that he got the letter from the abbey which was going to recall him to respectable living he made his plans. He told the landlord he was going to serve out the rest of the week and then he was going to be off.

John felt his stomach twist a little when the land lord said he was going to miss having a man about the place who knew his spirits so well.

Little did he know that was just why John was going.

X x x

Initially, as the winter season fell upon them in Manchester, Isobel Crawley had no reason in the world to think that she and her son Matthew were going to have a Christmas any different to the ones they had had of late.

Ever since they had lost Reginald it had always just been Isobel and Matthew for Christmas. The two of them were going to get up and go to church and then they were going to exchange gifts and have a nice meal.

She always enjoyed Christmas. It was one of those times of year when she was sure she was going to get some time with her son on their own. It was a funny thing to think she was sure when they lived together.

But they were always so busy. At Christmas they got to sit down and talk and she loved it.

And then the letter arrived…

The invitation to Downton Abbey. She had known her son was getting on well with the Crawley's – but she did not know how well until that moment she thought. She did not delude her self that the reason they had got invited was due to the family connection between them. She knew there was something more.

She had not minded so much as it was always wonderful to have her son to herself for a while – but if that time was over, then she knew for a fact that she could accept it for she had always known it was going to come. Her son was a hard-working young man and it was her opinion that any young lady who got to marry him was a very lucky young lady indeed. And yes, she was bias but that did not automatically mean she was wrong.

"It is very kind of them to ask us – to think of us," Matthew smiled when she showed him the invite.

"Would you like to go?"

Matthew smiled at the question. The truth was he did not have to put a lot of thought into that.

"Yes," he wanted to go to the abbey for Christmas. It was not a hard decision. They would have a lovely time if they were on their own but he did want to see Sybil and if he was honest the rest of the family over the holidays.

It would settle his mind after everything. "I rather do."

"Well, then I do not see why we should not accept. It is very kind of them to invite me as well." She thought it jolly decent as they were yet to meet.

"I think they are very curious about you," he said with a grin and a tender look. "And on top of it all I do so want you to know _her_."

"And I so want to know the girl who has so clearly stolen the heart of my son."

Matthew wished to reprimand her but at that moment but for the first time he found he could not.

In a way, Sybil had stolen his heart in a way no one else had. He had never had a beau. No sweetheart he had loved as a boy.

Till now.

"She is the most wonderful girl and I know she wants to meet you."

Isobel felt her heart blossom. She had always hope she was going to get to be close to her daughter in law so it did please her that she wanted to get to know her too.

"Shall I write back?" he asked.

"You can if you like but I think I am going to write as well to thank them for inviting me." She knew they did not have to ask either of them. To ask both of them really was very kind indeed.

Matthew nodded for he did not see that there was any point in trying to dissuade her, and it was not going to hurt.

"I have never had Christmas at a big house before."

"No, nor have I and if I know the family then it is going to be quite the experience."

"I am looking forward to it more and more."

Matthew knew what his mother was like but it seemed too cruel to ask her not to embarrass him.

No the two of them had to go there and they had to be themselves entirely.

It would never work if anyone tried to pretend to be someone they were not.

X x x

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" called Mary.

"Me!" her husband replied.

Knowing she had already wrapped the gift which she had got for him she called him in.

"You really are getting quite speedy." she grinned as he came in leaning on his stick.

"Clarkson said it is not going to be so long now until I do not need it at all."

She grinned at the thought of a mobile husband once more.

"The new year had better watch out." He nodded - it had for he had already decided it was going to be nothing like the year which had just past.

It had very much been a year of two halves for he had got to marry her. The woman he had loved. Beyond reason for as long as he was able to recall.

On the other hand, he did not think – in fact he knew he had not been able to make her happier.

And that was something which he was going to change in 1913.

Patrick would never forget the day he broke his leg not because of what he had done or the pain but because of the way she had revealed her frustration.

It had been the day he had known he was going to have to change his ways if he wanted them to work. He had a feeling he had realised the same.

And so, he vowed to try and give her a bit more space yet be there if she needed him.

His father would call him a fool for he was no longer as fond of Mary as he had been in the past, but he knew faint heart never won fair lady and they were going to be married for a long time to come yet.

"I want to say sorry for following you over the bridge that day."

"This is rather out of the blue," she commented. It had been months.

"Even so…"

"I should think you are, due to the consequences," she said but she did not say or mean it unkindly. "But it is done, and you are on your feet once more. That is what matters."

She could be kind to him. She meant to be.

"I do mean to give you more space. I was just rather – excited, I guess - and wanted to act the part of your husband… " Her heart broke for him and on the weight of it she wished she was able to love him as he loved her. Almost.

"You are my husband. You do not have to act as anything."

Unlike herself who did very much have to act as if she was a faithful wife.

"Let's just have a very merry Christmas."

He nodded and was pleasantly surprised when she reached out and took his hand. If he meant this to be a turning point then she meant to allow it to be.

"I think we can do that," he nodded. "And we'll have some help – your mother just received a reply from Matthew and Isobel – they are coming…"

X x x

He had prepared to go to Downton more than once in the year which had just passed but Matthew did not think he could be blamed if he felt the weight of the Christmas visit especially – who would not if they were in his shoes?

He spent more than one of his lunch breaks going round the shops in Manchester, trying desperately to find tokens and presents.

Most did not require too much effort – but Sybil's, of course required a lot of thought.

Matthew got two gifts for Sybil in the end – the one propriety said he should get her and the one which he wanted to get for her.

The last six months he had spent getting to know her had been among the very best of his life and when he had first gone to the abbey he had said he was not going to ask her to be his wife but now he found he could not stop himself - he wanted them to have a real life together.

Finding the ring just confirmed that too him.

They were so alike and she had a lot of spirit to her. One way or another they would make a good pairing and be happy he believed. He did not know what was in the future but he did want her to be in his future.

At first, he wondered whether he should tell his mother but was worried that she might put him off. An idea about his grandmother's engagement ring soon went out the window. Sybil was so new and fresh that he wanted that to be reflected in the ring when he gave her. When he found the one though, he knew – it was just right.

But of course, if he was to give it to her then he had to get permission from her father. And who knew if Robert would agree. Just in case he did not he had also got her a brooch just in case.

It was a token if the first season which they had had together - the first of which he hoped was many.

"Darling Sybil," he had heard Mary refer to her younger sister thusly many times in the last few months and he could not agree more.

She was a darling and more than that he wanted her to be _his_ darling.

And so when he packed, he packed both gifts and hoped to bring back neither.

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	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

"You do not think the weather is going to put them off coming do you?" asked Sybil, as she looked out of the abbey window. She could see the snow was falling.

It was not too thick or fast but that did not mean it was not going to fall thicker or faster.

Robert and Cora smiled at one another - they had both been there when they were young, if not with each other.

Worried, panicked and in love.

"It is still a few days to go, I am sure they are going to get here one way or another."

One thing was for sure and that was if Matthew did not come then it was not going to be the Christmas she was longing for. And his mother as well.

"What have you got Matthew for Christmas?" asked Cora, wanting to distract her.

She knew from Mary her youngest had put a lot of thought into choosing a gift for the man she was coming to care for a lot. It was not as if she had ever had to do it before. Her first thought had been an item of clothing or some sort of sweet treat. But one of those things seemed as if it was far too personal and the other was not personal enough.

So she had to put real thought in to it and then it came to her – a pen.

It was a nice gift – something which he could use to write to her.

Once she had explained to her mother could not help but smile.

"You clearly choose that carefully."

"It matters." She said gently. All of it mattered a great deal to her and she was not going to have Matthew think any differently.

He was the one that mattered in all of this.

Cora nodded, beginning to wonder if maybe Sybil's feelings did go a lot deeper than she has originally thought.

She met Roberts's eyes and they shrugged.

They might want to stop this but there was not a lot they could to slow it down now. They had welcomed him into their home and it was clear Sybil thought a great deal of him…

Worst thing had happened though, mused Cora. Much, much worse.

X x x

"My I knew it was going to be very grand but I do not know if I expected anything quite as extravagant as this is," said Isobel as she and her son drew up the drive at Downton Abbey. She did not need to be told this was indeed going to be quite the Christmas.

It was nice to at long last see where her son had been spending his time and where her potential daughter in law had grown up, if slightly breath-taking. His beau had clearly had a very different childhood to the one her son had had…

She did hope Sybil was not a great lady but there was not a lot of worry on that account going by what Matthew had told her.

She sounded as if she was the kind of girl she had always wanted for her son. Someone who was going to challenge him but also someone who was going to help and love him and she did not think there were too many people in the world would want more for their sons that.

The only thing that did worry her was that by the sounds of it the girl was very young – and in her experience a girl could change so very much from who she was in her late teens to who she was in her early twenties. But that was a bridge they could cross if and when they came to it.

For now, all they had to do was have a very merry Christmas together in a rather wonderful house with a group of rather wonderful people.

"Oh, it does look quite splendid."

Maybe it was due to the errand he was on but for the first time Matthew did not seem to notice.

From inside of the abbey Sybil had been waiting for the two of them. She had known from his letter what train he was going to be on but to her mother's amusement Sybil had started looking out for them far too early.

Yet at last her watch was rewarded.

Even though it was snowing, Sybil was straight out to meet them. She was in nothing but a simple day dress and some shoes and she was sure she was going to get quite the scolding later if this trip out in the snow. But she could not stop herself.

"You should go back inside!" Matthew said for he did not want her to be cold.

"I should be here to welcome my guests," Sybil corrected him, with a smile as snowflakes caught in her hair. As soon as she saw her, Isobel no longer felt very surprised that Matthew had fallen for her. She thought Sybil to be exceptionally pretty.

"Come inside both of you." Sybil hurried them knowing Pratt would deal with their luggage. Isobel was glad that while they had first seen each other in the snow they were no going do formal introductions out there.

She was though in another way sorry to be going in so soon the house looked rather stunning from the outside and she wished she had more time to study it a bit more but that would be a job for another day. And when they did get inside she found the house was no less stunning from the inside than it was from the out.

"Mother this is Lady Sybil Crawley," Matthew introduced them. "Lady Sybil Crawley, this is my mother, Mrs Isobel Crawley."

It was as the three stood three that Sybil could hear footsteps and she did not need to turn to know it was her own mother there.

"It is such a pleasure to meet you are last – Matthew has told me so much about you." Isobel smiled at Sybil's greeting. Well, the girl had spirit and there was no denying that.

If the truth was known ever since this visit had been proposed Sybil in all truth been terribly nervous about the whole thing.

This was Matthew's mother and she knew that while his mother was not going to have the deciding vote on them, she did wish to have her good opinion. Matthew and his mother were close – she had known that from the way he spoke of her but now she could see it too.

"And you, my dear." If this first opinion was one which lasted, then Sybil did not think she was going to mind that for in that second, she felt as if it was all going well and Isobel was just as warm and kind as any mother who had bought Matthew up should be.

And it was clear her own mother felt the same as the two women greeted each other.

"Lady Grantham it is so kind and generous of you to invite us both here for Christmas."

"Nonsense, we would not have had it any other way," declared Cora. "We are all so fond of Matthew and have been looking forward to meeting you."

"I have been quite the same – every time my son has come home from Yorkshire he has had the most tremendous smile on his face – naturally when I was asked, I felt it was time for me to come and see what had put it there."

And who had put it there she thought to herself.

"Well I do hope we are able to throw some light of the subject soon." Cora beamed as she looked at her daughter. "You look a little cold my dear."

"Not at all" – Sybil felt rather flushed.

"Well in any case, come and have some tea," Cora encouraged. "My husband's cousin, sister and mother you won't meet till tonight, but the rest of the family are in the drawing room."

X x x

Tea, Matthew felt was a great success all round.

Sybil's sisters were very kind to his mother and welcomed her warmly as did Cora and Robert. His mother was friendly and relaxed which pleased him enormously as he knew better than anyone she could be somewhat standoffish if the mood took her but apparently it did not that day.

After their train ride, they were eager to get warm and settle into where they were going to be spending the holiday – and that was just what they were eager to do.

"I am very glad you were both able to join us for Christmas," Patrick beamed as Matthew put a sugar lump into his tea.

"So am I - and I am so glad to see you looking so much better than before." He had been worried over his cousin and he would not be ashamed to admit it.

"Thank you - I believe it is a happier Downton you return too. Many things are better than they were before," Patrick said with tentative hope as he cast his eyes of his wife who was chatting amiably with Isobel at that moment.

"I am very pleased to hear it."

X x x

As tea came to an end, Isobel was soon taken up to her room, where a hot bath and a Lady's Maid was waiting.

Her husband had told her when he had been young he had been to Downton Abbey and it had been splendid, but it was not the life the two of them were going to lead which had always been fine with her.

She didn't think she could ever have been a lady such as this house and nor would she want to be.

The more modest home which she and Reggie had shared had always suited her down to the ground.

But when it Rome…

She enjoyed the bath, asked for more tea and continued to feel delighted at Matthew's choice. Sybil was a high-spirited girl with a lot of potential. She may have led the life of a lady so far, but Isobel had a feeling as she grew older she was a girl who would just want to do more and more with her life. That boded well.

As dinner approached, she had to admit she was beginning to feel more and more nervous about the coming event. But she did not need to be reminded who and why she was doing this. She put on her best dress, her best foot forward and headed down stairs hoping she had not been out of high society so long that she had forgotten all her etiquette.

X x x

Thomas and Miss O'Brien were as pleased as Mr Bates had thought they were going to be to see him back at the abbey but it felt good to know this time there was not a hell of lot they were going to be able to do about it. The Earl of Grantham was not going to allow him to be driven from this place for a second time – he knew that for a fact. He was sure things were going to be different this time.

And it had been in that knowledge that he was sure he had had the best decision. The right choice.

And what a day it was to come back to the abbey. It was always beautiful to him, but that day in the snow it was nothing short of majestic. He was going to ensure he did not have to leave here for a long time to come, that was for sure.

Going down to Mr Carson's office was different this time as well - whereas before the butler was all too ready to dismiss him as someone who was fooling themselves as to the work load they were taking on, this time he welcomed him. The manner was slight apologetic and it was clear Mr Carson now understood how much support John Bates had from Robert Crawley - enough to weigh against all the rest of them. For some reason or another Bates had the ear of the earl and that counted for something.

So, the terrible twosome had been nothing short of sorry to see him back. Carson had greeted him in such a manner which said their relationship was going to be very different this time. the only person who was obviously glad to see him back thus far was his other old comrade.

"Mr Bates it is so good to see you back with us!" he heard a voice say to him and he turned to see the face of Joseph Molsley. There was no embarrassment or apologies here - in fact John was sure this was very much the type of reunion he was going to have with young William.

Much as he had done with his lordship, he had known Joseph Molsley of old and was pleased when he had first got to the abbey to see the two of them were going to get as chance to get to work together again.

"Mr Molsley I am not going to lie to you – it is very good to be back!"

"Well there are plenty who are going to be glad to see you here - please count me the first among them."

"I do - thank you very much," he smiled. "Has much changed since I was gone?"

"Not so much below stairs – except Gwen is now and Lady's Maid and I am engaged to be married!"

"That's tremendous news!" said the returnee as he took Mr Molsley's hand with great delight. "I look forward to meeting Mrs Molsley to be!"

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	24. Chapter 24

**Thank you all so much for reading/reviewing all! I am so grateful for your comments : )**

 **Chapter 24**

In her day, this never would have happened thought Violet Crawley.

A young girl of seventeen with a beau at the Christmas table, with his mother to boot. No, she and her husband would never had let this happen.

No doubt, this was what was always going to come of letting her own son marry an American. No doubt she had made her own fair share of mistakes. But nothing like this. She had never been one for jumping gun and this was just what they were all doing. If he was a Duke then she might have been able to wrap her head around it but as it was a cousin from nowhere, she had to say she was none the wiser as to why they were all jumping through hoops.

Oh lord, it was no good she thought as she looked in the mirror. Her lilac hat was on and she had thought that putting on her armour for the upcoming ordeal was going to make her more able to face it but apparently, she had got that wrong.

Still – it did not mean she did not have to face it all the same.

"Rosamund, are you ready?" she called through to her daughter. She had been delighted to have her staying in this house until she had realised just how – how _curious_ Rosamund was about the whole thing.

When her daughter had arrived from London, there had been the usual warmth between them on their reunion.

Violet had met her at the station as it had been some months since she had seen her daughter and she was really quite eager for her arrival.

But when the two of them had had their tea on settling back at the dowager house, it had occurred to Violet she was not going to be quite the ally she had wanted her to be in all this.

She had said she was rather looking forward to meeting Sybil's young man when the truth was she should not have a young man at all. If any of them should have now it was Edith, seeing as Mary was married. Jane Austen may have felt bad for younger sisters – Violet Crawley did not.

If she was any type of aunt then Violet was sure Rosamund would have been as worried as she was but no as usual, when it came to her beloved nieces, Rosamund was more than ready to treat the three girls as cases and curiosity's – far too much for their grandmothers liking.

She had no doubt she loved them but her child did like to gossip as well.

"Quite ready mama," said Rosamund as she came out of the room.

Violet had to say if there was one thing which she was always going to give to her own daughter, it was that she knew how to dress.

The red gown she had had made for that Christmas period really was quite striking with her hair and for a moment Violet wondered if there was going to be any men who were there for her daughter until she remembered it was nearly entirely a family party.

And besides it was still – or so it seemed to her – not that long since they had lost Marmaduke Painswick.

The reminder however that her daughter was out of official mourning for him showed that time was moving on.

And it was not going to stop for any of them.

The two ladies walked out of the dowager house and into the carriage which was waiting for them.

Usually, Robert would have sent the motor care for his mother and sister but given the weather condition he had been sure it would be quicker to get them to the house by carriage.

On pulling up to the abbey, Violet could feel herself getting more irritated than she had been by Rosamund over tea for no reason what so ever but there was another carriage there already, which had to mean that James as there already – everyone but they had arrived.

She guessed at that moment – with a self-realisation that she always tried to avoid - that she and her daughter were more alike than they thought, for she did so hate Greek drama where everything happened off stage.

Still, her feathers were somewhat smothered as she swept in to the abbey, welcomed by Carson.

Just now and again it was nice to be reminded not everything was changing.

By the time she and Rosamund had arrived it appeared the small talk had begun – some of it she was sure was smaller than others.

Patrick and Mary were with the other youngsters - Edith and Sybil and the young interloper who was moving in on their family.

That left the adults to converse.

For once, Violet made her way over to James first.

He had been standing to the side as she had noticed of late he often did, observing what had gone on rather than taking part.

It made her rather nervous, but she also thought it was sensible.

"It tis, I believe, the season to be jolly James." She did not know if anyone had made him aware of that or not.

"Who knew, aunt?" he murmured.

It was clear he was no happier about what was going on than she was.

"I still do not see why they had to join us for Christmas."

"For once, Aunt Violet, you and I agree," James nodded.

Her eyebrows rose on her head a little. "I do not find that to be a comfort." She admitted.

The two of them looked at one another but the moment did not draw on long enough for them to find out what that would have been.

"Mama, welcome," Robert said as he came over and gave violet a dutiful kiss on the check.

"Come with me – we can make formal introductions!"

 _Oh goodie_ , she thought to herself.

X x x

Isobel had thus for had a rather wonderful evening. She had come down from her room, once more impressed by the abbey and by the hosts. Cora seemed determined to give her a warm welcome, even if it meant introducing her to people twice.

She could see out the corner of her eye, Robert had approached a woman who could only be his mother, and two others. She wondered if they would be a friend or a foe. Likewise, the man who stood with them had been none to welcoming as of yet.

"It really is our pleasure to have you here. I know you have met Sybil of course, and her elder sister's Lady's Edith and Mary," Cora reiterated warmly as she greeted the girls again.

She had not had much of a chance to talk to them earlier.

"It is so lovely to have you here, Mrs Crawley." Mary beamed. She was not going to be the one to let Sybil down.

"Welcome to Downton," Edith added.

There little circle was widened when Robert arrived, by no means alone.

"This is Mary's husband Patrick and my sister, Rosamund, Lady Painswick," Robert introduced them, all of them in the knowledge that if she did indeed become an in law that this was only the first of many Christmas they were going to be spending together.

On that basis, they were sure to give her a warm welcome as was Rosamund when introduced and then came the face to James and the dowager.

"This is Patrick's father and my cousin, James Crawley."

"How do you do?"

"Tolerably Mrs Crawley," he said with an ill-disguised sneer which told her just what he thought of her being there. She had been right – he was going to be no friend to the 'other Crawley's' which was how he saw them. He did not ask how she was for he could see from the smile on her face how glad she was to have a chance to get her hands of the family silver at last. Mary could not help but curse him for the way he was behaving.

Everyone else had done their level best for Sybil but as normal that had been far too much to ask of her beloved father in law who, no matter what the situation was, refused to behave normally.

And then there was there Granny.

Isobel was in no doubt that this was rather an important introduction for even when she had been at a distance she could feel that life in this house in many ways revolved around this old lady.

She did not want to get off on the wrong foot.

"Mrs Crawley, this is my mother Lady Grantham."

"What shall we call each other?"

"We could always start with Mrs Crawley and Lady Grantham?"

So that was how she was going to be thought Isobel.

If the ground could have swallowed up Sybil just then that would have pleased her a very great deal she thought, before resolving that she was made of stronger stuff than that. She was a Crawley woman after all.

"Yes Granny - we can start like that," said Sybil for there was no way she was going to let it end like that.

Rosamund could not help but smile. When she had been young there were so many times when she had wanted to stand up to her own dear mama and while there had been plenty of times when she had done so - but there was also something different about Sybil. There was a defiance which was not going to be crushed by any of them and she thought that was an enormous relief.

If there was something which she had always worried about with Sybil it was that life was going to rather crush that spirit out of her but now she was well able to see that would not happen. Her young niece was not going to let it.

But if there was a way which she was able to help Sybil then she would do it.

On hearing that Cora was calling them all through to the dining room she may a bee line for Mrs Crawley.

"It has been an age since I have been to Manchester – you must tell me all about it!"

She winked to her niece as she went passed her and her heart broke a little when she saw how grateful Sybil was too her. Rosamund could only hope she had the courage to stay the course on this one.

As the adults filtered in to the dining room, Sybil turned and smiled at Matthew. His own resolve did not seem to be any weaker than her own and for that very reason she had a feeling the two of them would win the day.

"If you get a chance tonight, you must tell your mother how sorry I am about my grandmother." If she had had a way or a chance or controlling her then that was what she would have done but she had a feeling men and women before her had tried that and they had not had any great success.

"I do understand this is going to be a lot easier for me to say than for you to do but please do not worry about my mother too much," Matthew said as he took Sybils hand and squeezed it a lot. He did not know if she had met many fiercer foes, but Isobel was not the shy and retiring and he had no doubt she could hold her own.

X x x

In spite of one or two people trying to make dinner a rather awkward affair, Mary thought at the end of it, it had been a delicious affair.

And the chatter had stayed friendly.

She had to say she was rather taken a back but also inspired by how forward Matthews mother was. When they had been small she and her sisters had been seen but not heard – well you could not help but hear Isobel. She was very curious about their life here and the estate – she could see that it was a world apart from the life which she and Matthew lived at home. She wanted to know as much as she could about her hosts.

But she thought that did her credit. There was nothing worse than someone who had nothing to ask and even less to say.

All the questions seemed to anger James, but that was always going to happen one way or another.

Together with Sybil and Edith, the three Crawley sisters steered a fine course through dinner, and despite the ever-cool relationship between the two of them even Mary would admit Edith was a great help that night. She seemed more focused than she had done in a long time.

Things were yet to improve between them when they were on their own.

But it was nice to feel they could unite for Sybil. They always would.

And that was what had been important that evening.

However, she did not know how important it would be until the very end of the meal.

"Well I think we will go through," said Cora. James had done all he could try to make it awkward, but it had not quite worked.

As it was Christmas, Cora had high hopes that the men were going to straight through, but it was clear that was not going to happen, and all of the women saw that before they had so much as left the room, Matthew was making his way round to sit with Robert.

She did think Matthew had been a little quiet through dinner. It was not like him for he was normally rather chatty. But as she said they were off in to the next room, his face changed. He was calm and resolved. As if he had come to a decision and now it was time to put it in to action.

She would not worry but in that moment, she knew it was not going to be much longer that her baby was her baby.

X x x

"Cousin Robert I know we cannot stay too much longer but if you would allow it, I would like just a moment more of your time."

Robert felt his heart drop. He guessed he had known this moment was coming. But he did not know it was coming so soon and he didn't know if he was ready…

Or if his darling daughter was ready more to the point. She was so young.

But he could also see the moment was here, whether or not he was ready for it.

He nodded at James and to Patrick go on without him and it was obvious by the look on their faces they were just as aware as he was of what would come next. Patrick being the dear boy that he was, was doing all he could to be invisible before he had so much as left the room. A similar scene for the sake of protocol and chivalry had played out between him and Robert when he had asked for Mary's hand.

Thus, he knew what a very private moment it was.

His father on the other hand looked as if he was aghast and angry, though whether it was because he was being asked to leave the room or because small time lawyer Matthew Crawley was asking for the hand of the daughter of the Earl of Grantham – Patrick did not know.

James' top lip curled in the effort to keep his anger in check. At last Matthew and Robert were left alone and for a moment there was a heavy silence.

The deep breath before the plunge.

"Cousin Robert I think you know what it is I want to ask you today."

"Yes, I dare say I do." Robert nodded. It was better they did not beat about the bush.

"Lord Grantham ever since the day I met her I have thought of your daughter as a most charming person. She is sweet and kind and thoughtful, and I am more and more moved by her every day. And all of this is nothing compared with the fact I love her.

"I know she is young and I know we have only known each other for six months but I truly feel I can be silent no longer."

"I am in love with her and if she will have me, I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy. Can I please have her hand in marriage?"

Robert Crawley took a deep breath. A voice in him said he should throw him out for so much as asking and tell him it was far too much. She was too young.

But he could not screw it up to be something more, try as he might.

He liked Matthew enormously and he would like to keep him in the family.

And he would be proud to all him his son in law but they did have to consider Sybil's age.

He was not going to have her bound when she was so young. It would not be fair on her.

But…. This would be a good match for her. True it was not the most brilliant she could make giving her standing in life, but it would be good for her in other ways. Matthew, he thought, well suited to Sybil. She was not going to be a great lady or live in a great house, try as he might to deny it to himself.

Maybe a respectable marriage to Matthew was going to save her a world of trouble in the long run. Maybe this was how things were meant to be for the two of them and he did not see he had a lot of right to stand in the way of that.

"If it is to be… I will not have it known outside of the family."

A smile begun to form on Matthew's face.

"Is that a 'yes'? I will always take care of her."

"And that is the reason – the only reason I am going to say yes. But Sybil must have the final word."

Matthew felt as if there was something going off inside of him like a fire work, it was the news he had been waiting for.

But it was not the news he needed. It was a start and wonderful for him to know Sybil's father would give him her hand, but she was a free spirit. Who knew if she was going to say yes but he could only try.

At least she would have her say - her father had given her that much.

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	25. Chapter 25

**Author Note –** Hi all! Once more thank you so much for reading and reviewing! : ) Just wanted to put this note in to clear up a few queries! At the moment, we are on Christmas 1912 – I had no idea we were going to take 60K to get here when I first started writing this fic so it is a surprise to me to find we are still 21 months away from the war and there will be plenty of drama before then! To give you an idea of how long this fic will be, I have tentative plans for post-war life for the Crawley sisters and I really hope to get that far! I know a few of you are concerned for Edith's love life – believe me, she will be getting one! 1912 has rather been Sybil and Mary's year but many more are ahead! And Tom will be turning up as well eventually! And there are plenty more twists to come yet!

I know a few of you are not going to like what happens in this chapter – though I hope some of you will. I am just going to say there is a long way to go, and while some things are set in stone, some are definitely not! I hope you guys stick with the fic, but if you decide it's not for you, thank you so much for getting this far – I truly appreciate it!

 **Chapter 25**

When Sybil got through to the drawing room, she did not know if she had imagined what she had thought has passed between her father and Matthew for she knew she had seen just the start of it – if anything had happened.

She went to the corner of the room to gather herself for a moment for even though she was with her family, she did not want all of them to know how she felt – especially not Matthews mother for fear it was going to be too much for Isobel and she was going to put her off of her. And she could do without her grandmother seeing too much either.

She had been on her own for just a moment when she felt someone at her side – at both of her sides. She was glad to find she had a sister there on each.

"I do think that all went as well as it was ever going to," she said to them both.

"I agree –" said Mary with a nod. "James and Granny were no better than we were ever going to get them to be but Mama and Papa have been wonderful."

Sybil nodded - they had.

"And – and did you see Matthew at the end of the meal," she said to the two of them for she did not want to be the one to say it, but there was something within her which said if she did not reference what had just gone on then she was sure she was going to go mad.

"He did appear to go straight to papa." Said Edith as she reassured Sybil. Mary was not sure if she would have gone as far as that for if the three of them were wrong then – well she did not want Sybil to be disappointed, but the thing was sad now and she was not going to scold Edith for it. Not that night.

Sybil nodded – she had been right. The three sisters stayed there for a while as Sybil caught her breathe. She now knew she had a big decision ahead of her…. Or at least she thought she did. And she did not have to think very hard about her choice she found. She knew what she would do…

X x x

The following day was Christmas Eve and in the night before Matthew did not sleep a wink.

All he could do he found was go over the night before in his head – how pretty Sybil had looked and how well he felt his mother had conducted herself. How cruel James had been but then he did not think there was a lot of surprises from that quarter.

Then he thought of Robert and the fact he had said yes to him. Part of him did not think he would have argued if he had said no but he had not and now he was one step closer – to the best Christmas ever.

To secure it he had to just harness his courage once more

Over breakfast he managed to get Sybil to agree to a walk in the grounds that morning, so he was glad to find they were not going to have an audience for this.

"I do like your mother so very much," said Sybil as she and Matthew as they walked together in the grounds of Downton Abbey, wrapped up in coats and scarves.

"She said much the same to me about you," he said with a very light heart. It did him such good to see how they had taken to one another.

It only made him surer of what he was doing.

He knew they could all get on.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a smile form on her face.

"Another good sign."

"She must have been a great help to your father."

"She was – and at times, it was whether he wanted her to be or not."

The two of them laughed gently but Matthew knew the truth. His father would not have had it any other way. He had always admired his mother and when he married he wanted nothing more than to have such a partnership with his own wife.

And he knew who he wanted to be his wife.

"Sybil, darling," he said as he came to a stop. She did so as well, so they were side by side.

She looked at him expectedly. "Yes."

Time seemed to stop for him for a moment and he knew this was it. Once he had said the words there was going to be no chance for him to take them back. But that was rather the point. He did not want to take them back.

"Golly – I have dreamt of this for so long and now the moment has come I do not know what to say to you."

She could feel the weight of the air about them change. All her life…

A thousand thoughts rushed through her head and she could not finish any of them.

"Sybil, I know the last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind, but it has got to the stage now where I want to be nowhere but in that whirlwind and I want to be with no one but you." He said and his voice shook a little as he did so.

She squeezed his hand.

 _Courage._

"Sybil, I am not a son of an earl and I know it is terribly wrong of me to ask you this before you have had a chance to see if you can find one who is to your liking." But if he knew her at all then he knew she did not care a fig for all of that. He was not going to do her the disservice of thinking she did. If he were to do that then he would not deserve her at all.

"All I know is if I do not ask, I am going to regret it forever, not saying these words – and I do not think you care a jot for all of that.

"Lady Sybil Crawley, I am in love with you. Please do me the honour of saying you will be my wife."

For a moment she could say nothing and the stupid thought that she was not yet out crossed her mind.

She was seventeen and not a lot of seventeen-year-olds she knew got marriage proposals.

But she did.

So all she had to do was listen to her heart and do what it told her - that the more time they spent together, the more time she wanted to spend with him.

He was good and kind and intelligent and thoughtful and handsome.

And she did love him.

So, she did not have to think at all really.

"Yes," she nodded with a wide smile as she stepped closer to him. He took the hint and was quick to take her in his arms.

"You will?"

"I do believe that is what I said."

"I know but it sounded so lovely – so say it again," he sighed blissfully.

"Yes – I will marry you!"

x x x

Mary knew what had transpired between her sister and Matthew as soon as the two of them came into the library.

She fancied that the whole family did.

The two of them were in such high spirits and were flushed.

Robert kept his breathe bated for he knew what was to come. If Matthew had not asked then, she would have no cause to smile as she was smiling then and if she had said no then the same could be said of Matthew.

But the fact was the two of them looked quite delighted.

So it was done. His youngest child was set to be married. Or at least she had accepted a proposal.

Matthew looked at him and he knew what he was asking. Could he tell everyone?

Well, he did not see what was the point in saying no when the entire room was looking at them with bated breathing.

They were so obvious that it did not; take a lot of brain power for anyone to see what had transpired. Even James seemed to have caught on not that he was too happy about it.

"Are you two quite well?" Cora prompted them.

Sybil gave a laugh.

"Oh mama we are so much more than quite well," she said as she looked up at Matthew with all the love in the world in her eyes.

"When Sybil and I were out for our walk, I asked her a rather important question. And I am the luckiest of men to be able to report that she said yes to me."

There were gasps all around the room. He was sure he could hear the joy in there though it was no wonder there were quite a few surprised gasps as well.

After all, this was happening rather fast, even he allowed that. But there was nothing which he and his dear Sybil were able to do to fight the emotion which they were both feeling.

Violet from where she sat gave James a look to tell him her opinion had not changed from what it was earlier yet as it was clear her son had sanctioned this madness she did not see that the two of them were going to be able to do anything about it.

As they sat there the rest of the family got up to greet the – well, who were going to be the newlyweds if it got to that stage. Isobel was calling Matthew 'her dear boy' and hugging him, no doubt proud he had got his hands on the family silver as the two of them had planned.

James watched Cora. It had been his hope as she had not been consulted by her husband that she was going to be greatly upset that Robert had said yes to a man who was so far beneath them but you could always rely on Cora to let the family down. She and Robert rushed to embrace their daughter in her happiness.

As for his own son and the girls they rushed around the happy couple congratulating them. He did not understand how none of them could see this was a mistake.

X x x

If it had been any other night, then Anna was in no doubt of the fact that she would not have been asked to do this but it was not any other night – Lady Sybil had just got engaged.

And there was joy above the servant's quarters. All the footmen were needed.

She thought of the stunned silence which Mrs Hughes had responded to the news of her own happy announcement.

The reactions could not be more different and though she wasn't one who was given to jealous feeling, she could not but admit to herself she wished she had got met with joy.

Lady Sybil was so young. And yet she was so sure.

She wished she was sure. More than anything, she wished that.

But maybe it was because she was so young she could be so sure. Once you lived a bit it was harder to be sure she thought to herself. You knew what could go wrong then.

She put any dark thoughts to the back of her mind and got on what she had been asked to do.

She knocked on the door, careful not to unbalance the tray she was holding.

"Mr Bates."

She could hear inside that there was someone moving to the door and knew all she had to do now was be patient. He was coming.

From the sounds of it, he had some trouble moving around.

Yet there had been such conflicting reports of him. Gwen appeared to have liked him and Daisy was thrilled by the news of his return, believing him to be a romantic figure. William said he had not wanted him to go in the first place. She was sure theirs was the opinion she should trust over that of Miss O'Brien and Thomas. They were hardly fountaining of truth.

At last, the door opened.

And she could see him for herself.

Anna would never be able to describe what she felt when she saw him for the first time.

At the time she did not think too much about it – but the first thing she noticed about him was his eyes and she did not think she had ever noticed someone's eyes before anything else before – it was a new sensation.

In the time she had been thinking that time and silence begun to drag on - it was time to stop that.

She gestured to the tray she was carrying.

"My name is Anna - I am Lady Mary's maid. I've been sent with your dinner," she said to him with a smile. When things got back to normal, no doubt he was going to be eating with the rest of them, but for that night, Mrs Hughes had suspected a tray in his room was going to be appreciated. She had been right.

She was clearly his welcoming committee back to Downton. _Back to Downton -_ that sounded as good as it felt to John.

And it was all so much sweeter for the fact he was now looking at her.

The thought was in his head before he could stop it that she did seem as if she was a nice girl- a very nice girl.

Up until then, he had thought it was only a lie that you could have some sort of immediate connection with another soul but now he knew it did happen. Now, it was his job to stop that natural reaction, he thought to himself.

"Thank you very much. I am John Bates – valet to his lordship, once more," he said formally as he followed her lead. She could not imagine why it made her feel so terribly coy. "I did not meet you when I was last here."

They both knew why that was but just then all he knew was he was not ready to go back into his room. It was wrong of him. But he thought he could allow himself some pleasantries.

"Well, I was in Italy with Lady Mary."

"And you had a nice time?"

"Yes, I did," she said conversationally. "I had never been abroad before."

"And would you want to go again?"

Her next trip away she was bound to be her honeymoon **.** She twisted around her engagement ring and knew in her heart she did want to go abroad again.

But how many opportunities was she going to get? Their honeymoon was going to be a trip to the coast but nothing more than that. Not that that wasn't going to be lovely.

And when she got pregnant she was going to have to leave her job altogether. She was never going to get to go away again. Not really.

But there was no need to lie now.

"Yes, I would."

As she had thought about it, he could not help but be drawn to the ring on her finger.

Well, that made a lot of sense to him. She was a lovely girl. He knew her not at all but he knew she was lovely.

Some lucky man was going to have snapped her up. Mr Molsley, he thought to himself. Good for him.

"Well, do enjoy your dinner," she said and she gave a nod at the tray. "And I am glad I could welcome you here this time around."

So was he. For some reason he was more pleased then he was able to say. But somehow, he felt for the first time since he had been called back to Downton, he felt truly gutted.

He reminded himself he was not free. He had not been for a long time, not since he had made the mistake of marrying Vera.

And Anna was no freer than he was. So, all they would ever be, he thought as he watched her walk away, was a what if.

X x x

"I must say you are a lot calmer about all of this than I thought you were going to be," said Robert as he and Cora got back to their room. Their baby was going to be a married woman and she agreed as if it was nothing when he had a feeling not so very long ago she would have kicked up a fuss to stop it.

The truth was if Cora had tried to stop what had happened changing her, it had not worked at all. You did not carry the corpse the length of your house and remain as you had been. It was not possible.

And so, as a result of that she would be happy to get Sybil settled - not that it had made Mary behave - still, she would then just have Edith to get into her own establishment which she would do in time. It might be harder for her due to the candle which she carried for Patrick, but they would get there.

She felt a long way from the worried mother who had not wanted Mary to go on honeymoon and so she was. "I like Matthew. I think he is going to be a good husband to Sybil so I do not think I can find any real reason to object to any of it."

Robert could not help but wonder what had come over her.

"No one will know outside the family for years."

"Well, no one can say fairer than that."

If Sybil did change her mind then there was going to be a route back for her thought her mother.

All was well that ended well – but they were not at the end of that story yet she thought to herself. Only the one of this Christmas Eve.

"Why don't we go to bed?" she said to him with a smile. The girls were going to grow up and go off and live their own lives. But they would still have each other.

He gave a smile and a nod as he wondered over to kiss her forehead, unable to wait until the two of them were in bed. He still thought she had been very calm over all of this. But for that moment, that worked for him.

Sybil was happy. Cora was happy. His mother wasn't happy.

But then that really would have been one Christmas miracle too far…

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	26. Chapter 26

**Author note: Hi all, I doubt I am going to get another chapter up this side of Christmas, so I hope you all have a good day next whether you celebrate or not! Thank so much for all your support this year, for reading and reviewing this fic! I truly appreciate it!**

 **Chapter 26**

Even Mr Bates had to admit it was an odd time of year to start a job in between Christmas and New Year's. As glad as he was to do it, it felt as if the house was at sixes and sevens.

No doubt he was not going to get a chance to get back to grips with everything until life had returned to normal somewhat.

Whatever normal was.

He had a strange feeling that for him normal was going to be starting the day eating his breakfast across from Anna Smith after the two of them had had a chance to say good morning.

He had been right – she was going to be married to Mr Molsley. He had not been able to help but think that, for the first time in his life, his old friend had had the sense to see something good when he found it.

The first time the three of them had been together. Mr Molsley had been eager to show Anna off to Mr Bates.

"This is my fiancée."

The two of them shared a polite smile, but there was something coy about it as well.

"Yes, I know," he had said to him and there had been something in him which was glad and petty he had had the chance to meet her before Mr Molsley had introduced the two of them. He was not proud of that.

"I took a tray up to Mr Bates the night that Miss Sybil got engaged to Mr Matthew, Christmas Eve," said Anna to her husband to be quickly as if she had to explain herself. If Mr Molsley had looked close enough he would have seen that for no reason at all, there was a guilty look in Anna's eye right then, but Mr Bates saw it.

That looked stayed in his mind for the rest of the day no matter how he tried to get right of it.

As was the wish of Mr Carson he had started the shift at the beginning of a new day rather than at the middle or the end as to not confuse things.

And when the day finally dawned when he did go back to work, John was delighted to get back to it.

Bates walked back into the dressing room of the Earl of Grantham.

Ever since his conscience had begun to prick him over what he had done, Robert had hoped for this moment so the two of them could make amends.

The truth was he had been ashamed for a long time about the way he had been swayed but he did not think he had ever felt it as much as he did then. Bates was a good man and he had served him faithfully when he had been here before and now he was back the first thing which he was doing was that again. He was not sure what it was he had done to be deserving of such a friendship, but he was going to make sure he did not stumble once more.

"Good morning milord," said Bates as the door shut.

"Good morning Bates. Welcome back - I hope you had a good Christmas," John nodded for he had.

No matter what he had not got for Christmas, he had got his job back and that was something which he could not underestimate.

"I have milord – and it is wonderful to be back." He said to him with a smile.

"Before the two of us go any further I want to say how sorry I am that I ever allowed there to be such a situation where you _had_ to come back." John had feared there was going to be this type of a scene for he knew no matter what anyone said, the Earl of Grantham was a rather emotional man when you got to the bottom of it. "I should have stood up and fought for you before you left the last time and I am sorry I did not."

You did not go to war with and not bond as the two of them had.

"Well, it all done and over with now," said John, for he was not going to let his lordship beat himself up over something, which he sure at the end of the day, was something which he regretted.

Robert nodded. From the way that Bates was acting, he knew if there was one thing which he wanted more than anything else it was that this whole thing was to be put to bed and that was something which he was willing to allow. He felt the knot of his conscience loosen.

"I hear that Congratulations are in order for Miss Sybil," said Bates as he helped him change for the morning.

Robert smiled. "Yes they are -we are all still a little concerned it is a bit soon, of course, but Matthew is a good sort of chap and she is – sure," he said to him in the measured way which Bates could not always read entirely.

"Well, as long as the two of them make one another happy I am sure it can only be a good thing," said John.

"Let us hope so," Robert nodded. He knew for one his mother did not agree with any of this and if he had had a lapse in judgement which was going to cause his daughter harm then he did not quite know how he was going to square that with himself.

"You may have heard that theirs are not the only nuptials expected – my daughter's lady's maid is also engaged to be married to mister Patrick's valet. I dare say it is all going to be done very properly – though you won't have met Anna yet, will you,"

John sighed – "On my return to the Abbey I did my lord."

"She's a very nice young woman."

John nodded. She was.

X x x

It was one of those moments which Matthew Crawley was sure he would not forget as long as he lived.

Snow was gently falling outside of the Abbey and there was a fire warm within it and she had said yes! He knew the moment Sybil had said she would marry him was one of those which was going to live in his memory for a long time to come, as well as this moment as he stood watching his mother and his love was sitting by the fire talking. He was gladder than he was able to say that they got on.

"All does seem as if it is rosy in your garden, Cousin Matthew," sighed Mary as she came over to him.

"I don't suppose I can claim to have many arguments with the world as it is right now."

She was glad to hear it as she believed any man who had arguments with the world when they had won a girl such as Sybil was a fool.

"She does seem to get on rather wonderfully with my mother," he beamed.

"I am sure that a wise woman once said any bride who does not suck up to her fiancée's mother is a fool," he laughed a little at that.

"I am quite sure of it."

She had barely had a chance to know Patrick's mother, she had been so young when she had died. She wondered what she would have made of her as a daughter in law especially if she knew the whole truth. But then there was no way that anyone must know the whole truth she thought as she looked at her mother and then thought of Anna downstairs. No – the truth was a dangerous thing.

And it was time for her to get off of that subject for the sake of them all.

"You know I can only be happy about this as I know you will take care of her."

He nodded in a way that took her he knew what she was talking about.

"I will always take care of her," he swore.

"I know, that was why I did not get Carson to run you out of here with a shotgun the minute you arrived," she said to him and the two of them begun to laugh. The idea of the butler doing so really was quite funny.

She put her hand on his arm.

"I am happy for you Cousin Matthew."

"I do not think you know how much it means to me and Sybil that you are," he said in response and she nodded for she was glad to see how sincere he was.

 _Dear cousin Matthew._

X x x

What with Matthew and Sybil getting engaged and Mary and Patrick being a married couple, the residents of Downton Abbey would freely admit that for them it had been a most unusual Christmas but as the New Year came, the old traditions which they had lead there lives by seemed to take over once more and there were those in the Abbey who were ready to rejoice in that fact. You could not have too much change at once thought Violet. It was not good for the soul. Or the servants.

So the servants had had their time off and they had gone on the shoot and then finally to rounds of the festivities they were going to have the servant's ball. It was a pattern which she knew well.

Still, from her point of view at the ball, there were changes which she was trying to get used to – for one, the fact she was not the one to open it. If she was asked then she did not think she was going to lie. She missed being the countess. It was a role which she had been in her element in. But Cora was the one to open the dance with Carson these days and there was nothing which she could do about that.

For James, he did not think there was a lot for him to get used to about the ball. It had always been an event which he had hated ever since he and Robert had been young, as it had reminded him of his place in life – that it was always going to be below his cousin.

He knew he was a man of contradictions for he lived his life by rank and yet he hated it as well.

Maybe then he should support Matthew he thought with a laugh, yet that was never going to happen. Even then the young man was dancing with Sybil. Earlier in the nigh the had seen the young man dancing with a housemaid and his cousins youngest with a junior footman but as soon as they had had the chance they had joined together once more, they had. He did not understand how the two of them could not see what fools they were.

Patrick could not be further from him.

The fact he had danced at all that night was enough for him. In fact, he was sure dance was a bit of an exaggeration - he had merely stood and swayed with Anna

But after the year he had had it was enough for him, then when he looked over at Mary she had been smiling at him.

It had made his heart soar.

Maybe the year 1913 was going to be a lot better for all of them.

He hoped it was going to be a lot better for his cousin Edith as well.

As for the third daughter of the house of Crawley herself, she felt as if she had had a good night at the servant's ball – she had felt as if she had done what she had set out to do.

Christmas had helped d her more than she knew – in fact, the whole year had ever since Patrick's accident.

She had come to a decision in the run up to the festive season and it felt to her as if she was able to let it go.

Ever since Patrick had yelled at her for trying to help him that night – when she had wanted to tell him just what her sister had done to him she had felt the passionate love which she had once felt for him begin to lesson for she had begun to release its hold on her, for if he could talk to her as he had done then he couldn't feel the same.

And when she had seen the way Sybil and Matthew were together, she had known that was what she wanted beyond anything. She wanted to look at a man and be looked at the way the two of them looked at each other. With love and respect and hope.

And she knew in her heart there was no way that her cousin could give her any of those things.

So, she knew it was time to give Patrick up. He was always going to have a place in her heart and he was always going to be her first love. But she knew she was leaving the misery of the year 1912 behind her.

What she was going to find harder to leave behind her was the anger.

She was never going to be able to tell anyone what Mary did – and while she was in no way as in love with Patrick as she had been she still did not agree with the way he had been treated and she was never going to.

But that was something she was going to have to live with.

She turned and let her thoughts go to a kinder place in the hope of finding peace.

Another person who struggled to find peace at the servant's ball was Mr Bates.

He could not stop as hard as he tried to keep his eyes from drifting now and again to Mr and Mrs Molsley to be. He had not spent much time with her… And he had just got back to a job he loved. He had thought over the New Year he was going to be so content but that turned out not to be the case. He just felt as if he had missed the boat.

But there was something about her. The way her eyes twinkled as she danced. It was clear she loved to dance.

At first, Anna had not noticed, for this was one of the times she knew she was upstairs and she could focus on Joseph more than anyone else and that was what she should do. But when you were being watched, you could often feel if she found and what troubled her more than anything else was, she found, she did not mind the way Mr Bates was watching her when she knew she should.

Still – it was not a night to trouble her self with such thought she told her self as the clock struck twelve. She had a good job and good friends and a good man.

She kissed Joseph as the year changed to the one of their wedding and hoped that the one she was on was a true course and no matter the future, she would stay true to it.

There was just a tiny voice within her which gave her cause for concern…

X x x

"Now if you do want me to go and change the ring I really do not mind," said Matthew as he and Sybil walked out of the abbey.

It did not seem as if it was right or possible to him that he and his mother were going to have to go back to Manchester today but that was the situation which they found themselves in. And as they were if Sybil did want a different ring then this was the time to change it thought her intended.

"I absolutely love it and it is not going to going anywhere from my finger," said Sybil to him. She was sure no matter, the ring he had given her she was going to like but at the same time it was a genuinely lovely ring- and he had picked it, which made it mean more to her.

"You know you do not have to say that."

"And if I did not mean it then I would not but I do," she said as the two of them held hands. "Do you know when you are going to come again?" she said to him. She did not want him to leave the house if she did not know when he was going to come back to it.

"As soon as I can but before the end of January for sure," he said as he leant over and kissed the top of her forehead.

He had not had a chance to clear it with Robert or Cora yet but the two of them had always been so accommodating about when he went in the past he did not think the two of them were going to have a problem then. Not now they really were going to be family.

"And I am going to miss you so much until I get back," he said as he grinned at her. "Are you going to miss me?" it still did not seem real to him that one day they were not going to have to miss each other at all.

"You may cross my mind once or twice," she said to him with a grin. She had said to herself she was not going to weep when he went and she was glad to see she could follow that through.

They had had such a lovely Christmas together but that she did not see the need for them to get all weepy at the end of it. She was content to let it be what it had been and for them to head off into 1913 with joy and hope in their hearts.

"I am very glad to hear it," he said with a smile.

"I do not think I can thank you both enough for having us over the festive season," said Isobel where she stood with Cora and Robert a little way away from their children.

"I do not think this is a Christmas which any of us are likely to forget in a hurry."

"I dare say," beamed Cora. "But I do hope that it is not the last one we spend together – it was so lovely to have you here," Cora replied.

Isobel had a feeling that not all the family were going to think along those lines, but it was very nice to know that was the way she felt.

"I have the same hopes," she nodded as she turned to the master of the house.

"Do travel safely," Robert told her as he kissed her cheek in goodbye.

"Oh, we will – and I am going to have my champion to look after me," she said as she turned to find her son. "I do so hate to be the one to break up the party but if we do not get going soon Matthew then we are going to miss our train."

"I can think of worst things in the world," Matthew told his bride to be as he took her hand and planted a kiss on it. "Goodbye, darling Sybil."

"Goodbye, Matthew."

Now they were here at the parting she had to say it did hurt a little. Together with her parents she watched and waved as they got into the car which was going to take them to Downton Station, as it pulled out from the house and down the drive.

And if she sighed as she did so, she did not think any of them could be surprised at that.

"Why don't we go into the house and have a nice cup of tea?" asked her mother, as she wrapped an arm around her. Sybil nodded her head, laying it slightly on her mother's shoulder to accept the given comfort.

"That sounds lovely Mama."

X x x

Mary did not know if she was sad or happy to see Christmas go. The one thing she was glad of was that Sybil did not take it leaving too hard – but as an optimist, she was never going too.

Still, she did know she was going to be glad for the house to get back to normal. She always was when guests left.

"So before long there is going to be another family wedding – though the two of us are not going to be at the forefront of it," said Patrick as he and Mary settled down for the night.

She turned from her vanity, where Anna stood doing plaiting Mary's hair with an odd expression on her face.

"I dare say it is not going to be for a while yet," Mary replied. There was going to be no rushing.

"Well no, maybe not but I am glad there is going to be a wedding aren't you?"

Mary sighed. Was she glad there was going to be a wedding between them? She nodded.

"I find I am rather." At one point she was sure she would have said he was not good enough for their Sybil but the more they got to know Matthew the more they liked him. And she wanted him to be a part of their family circle.

She had the strangest feeling he was good for them. And she wanted him kept close.

"I dare say we can't say the same thing for your dear papa," Mary murmured and Patrick gave a heavy sigh.

"I do not think we can – he does not see the good Matthew brings to this family as the rest of us can," he said with a sigh as he was sorry for that. But there was nothing they could do about that.

"What do you think Anna? I dare say your nuptials will take place before Sybil's do."

For once it seemed as if the maid had not kept up with the conversation.

"Sorry milady," Anna said as she looked at Lady Mary for what felt the first time in a while.

"Are you quite ok – you look as if you were a million miles away?"

Anna sighed. "Yes – I think I was."

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	27. Chapter 27

**Author Note:** Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing and for the endless patience you're having with me and this fic. I know I am a nightmare. The good news is I now have a few weeks off work and for the vast majority of them are going to be at home, with my laptop and peace and quiet which is ideal fic writing conditions. Whilst I've a few other jobs to be getting on with, fingers crossed I can get a few chapters out! This chapter is a little shorter than previous ones and the upcoming ones may be - but we'll see how it goes! Welcome to the new year at Downton!

 **Chapter 27**

The New Year brought a cold start to January. There were trips out to church but beyond that not much society for the Crawley family to enjoy.

Letters came and went from the abbey but not many people.

Thus, it gave people time to think.

"Now that Matthew is going to be part of the family do you not think it is right he comes and lives in the village?" asked Patrick as he and Robert sat in the library.

Robert's face said all he thought of that. "It would be a big thing for him to move his entire life here. I am not going to say that Sybil is not a big draw for him but what would he do?"

"Well, I am sure there must be a law firm he can join and he can get to know about the running of the estate."

Patrick saw his cousin frown. "Do you really think that is necessary?"

The way he said it made the young man feel a failure.

And in some way's he felt he was one. After all he and Mary had been wed for a while now there was not yet a baby Crawley yowling in its crib. He had no son.

Maybe he was just not thinking as positively as he should about the whole thing but he did feel as if he was beginning to doubt there ever would be. Yes, a lot of that was down to his leg but the problem was Mary did not seem to mind much. And when her course had come along and further interrupt their plans she did not appear to be heartbroken by the turn of events. Sometimes he did feel as if he had imagined all the fun they had had when they had been on honeymoon.

But even though he was young, and his marriage was young, he did not think it was such a bad idea to talk to Mary about it.

"I am sure it is not needed and that all of this is quite premature. But if it what you want I do not see why we cannot ask him -" Robert sighed with a shrug.

The one plus to all of that he was sure that it was a way to ensure Sybil stayed close to the family when the two of them did marry. He did not want her to go off to Manchester with her husband any more than he thought Cora did. No, it was far better that she should stay and base her life around the abbey. From that point of view, he felt inviting Matthew to live closer was a very good idea.

As for Patrick, he was sure about it - it was what he wanted, that which was best for the whole family.

That evening, Robert talked to Cora – and when Patrick got an understanding that had taken place, he got a letter in the post before anyone else could be consulted for fear he would lose his nerve. Then he waited for the response from Matthew and the inevitable response from Mary.

X x x

"Well it is a big decision at no mistake," said Isobel as the two of them sat across the dining room table looking at one another, the day Patricks letter got to there house. One from Robert followed, also suggesting the move would be to all their mutual benefit.

It would mean uprooting them both and moving to a place where Matthews future wife might live. She was so young that at any moment Sybil might wake up from this daydream and decide she was too young to marry. But Isobel was not going to say that to her son for she did not think he was likely to wake up from this. And she did not want to be the one to steal the sunshine from his garden.

"It is – it would be a very big decision."

He had lived in this city for as long as he was able to remember. This was his place.

But he did not know how much good it did to stay stagnate in one place when there was a chance you could have a real future in another.

In fact, he did not think it would do any good at all.

The truth was Downton attracted him now he had spent a bit of time there. Yes, he had been a city boy up to this point, but he was more than able to see the attraction of living in the country.

For one thing, it was going to be a slower pace of life and that would mean he would have more time to invest in the areas of his life he wanted to.

For another, he felt sure that his chances of employment were good.

He had been a city lawyer, for now, that was true, but he did have experience in the country law and his career was just beginning to take off. There was no chance of advancement in the country as there was in the city, but he was not sure how much he cared for that just then. They could always return later if that was what they wanted.

Since he had found the Crawley's, he found he genuinely enjoyed getting to be a part of their family.

He loved his mother dearly but neither of them would deny things could get a little dull for them both when it was just the two of them. No doubt she felt the same.

Having more people about would be nice for them both… It was not just Sybil - though he could not deny that she was an attraction of living there too. The main attraction in fact.

He respected Robert for saying no one to know about the engagement outside of the family and he absolutely understood why he had done that…. If he was her father than he would have said that same. But he did want to see Sybil and the only chance he was going to get to do that on a regular basis was if he was close enough to go to family dinner.

Especially until she was out.

No, as far as he was concerned moving to the village made a lot of sense.

He hoped his mother was not going to be too hard to bring round to his own way of thinking but bring her round he would if he had too.

"I am aware that it is a big decision and I am of course not going to expect your answer tonight."

"I should think not," his mother said as she looked at him laughing a little. If she had been asked then this was not the way she thought the new year was going to begin for them.

She could not deny it was good to see him so animated, but it was going to take her a little time to figure out if this was what she wanted for her own life. After all, Matthew was a grown man now so the two of them could live apart.. but she had a feeling living on her own was not going to be the joy to her that living with her son was…

He may be grown but he was still her boy.

"But I think one way or another I am going to be spending more of my time in Yorkshire from now on."

"Well, of course, you must –" she said.

He had a fiancée and while she knew there were no immediate plans when you were planning on that type of future with someone it demanded that the two of you were together. That you spent time together.

"I think you are doing the right thing."

"I do hope so – for all of us," said Matthew. He did not think he had ever had so many people to consider in his life and it was utterly thrilling as well as just a little bit terrifying.

Mother and son smiled at each other and Isobel felt a swell of pride in her son.

Whether people fought it or not, the future was going to come – and her sons future was going to be Lady Sybil Crawley - so Isobel thought she had better get used to that.

Suddenly she felt as if she knew what she was going to do, for she did not want to be part of her sons past but also in his future so _of course_ she was going to go with him.

But that was a conversation for a different day.

"Your father used to say if you listen to your heart you do not go far wrong."

That was what he had said to the nervous young women who he wanted to be his bride and she had taken that advice to heart. As time had gone on Isobel realised how true it was and how glad she was she had listened to him.

Had she not, Reginald and herself might have missed something which made them both very happy.

Matthew smiled and could not help but wish his father was there right then so that he could hear his father words in his own voice instead of his mothers but that did not mean he did not know what a gift she was to him and how lucky she was to have her.

"I do love you, mother."

Isobel smiled the lump in her throat with a nod.

"I love you too."

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